The UAE reported 1,500 new <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/covid/">Covid-19 cases</a> on Thursday after an additional 241,098 tests were carried out. The new cases bring the overall tally of infections to 969,097. Another 1,541 people beat <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/health/2022/01/28/how-a-dh25-covid-19-drug-helped-to-save-a-million-lives/">the virus</a>, as total recoveries climbed to 949,218. No coronavirus-related deaths<b> </b>were reported in the past 24 hours, and the toll remains at 2,324 More than 172 million PCR tests have been conducted since the first case in the Emirates was reported on January 29, 2020. Case numbers had been on the rise in recent weeks, after falling below 200 in early May. However, daily infection rates have started to fall, having topped 1,800 on July 3. Pilgrims have started to return home to the UAE after performing the first post-pandemic Hajj. People returning from Hajj are encouraged to take an optional test on arrival followed by a mandatory test on day four. They should quarantine for seven days at home.