UAE records 895 new Covid-19 cases after 408,075 tests

Cinemas, shopping centres and other entertainment spots returned to full capacity this week

Cinemas in the UAE can now operate at 100 per cent capacity at screenings. Lee Hoagland / The National

Shopping centres can run at maximum capacity. Restrictions were already minimal in many of the emirates. Reem Mohammed / The National

One of the most significant changes is allowing mosques to increase capacity. Restrictions had meant more worshippers were spilling out on to the streets. Antonie Robertson / The National

One-metre social distancing should still be maintained, authorities said. Antonie Robertson / The National

Sports stadiums can now return to maximum capacity but fans must take a PCR test and show a negative result using the Al Hosn app. AP Photo

The UAE reported 895 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday after a further 408,075 tests were carried out.

The new cases bring the total number of infections recorded in the country since the pandemic began early in 2020 to 872,210.

One person died during the 24-hour reporting period, raising the death toll to 2,290.

Another 2,808 people beat the virus, as the recovery total climbed to 811,632.

More than 133 million tests have been conducted across the Emirates under a comprehensive screening strategy.

Daily infections dropped below 1,000 on Tuesday for the first time this year, having peaked at 3,116 on January 15 – the highest since the previous February.

This week, cinemas, shopping centres and other entertainment spots and venues across the UAE were allowed to return to full capacity for the first time in 18 months.

Restrictions were first announced in early 2020 due to Covid-19. Over the past year, there has been a slow easing of the rules as case numbers stabilised in the Emirates.

The National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority said there was no change to the use of masks, which are required by law in all indoor and outdoor public places nationwide.