Coronavirus: highest number of active Covid-19 cases in UAE as tests pass 17.5m mark

Daily infections have exceeded 1,000 for the past seven weeks as screening efforts ramp up

A sign at a public beach in Dubai urging people to follow Covid-19 distancing rules. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Participants seated adhering to social-distancing rules during an event at Dubai Knowledge Park, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

An employee brings drinks to customers at Cafe Society in Dubai.  Chris Whiteoak / The National

An employee disinfects a table before welcoming customers in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

An employee checks a customer's temperature at Cafe Society in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Visitors to Reform Athletica yoga studio in Dubai perform their exercises with their masks on. Chris Whiteoak / The National

An employee waits to measure customers' temperatures at Cafe Society in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A cordoned off swing along the Abu Dhabi corniche amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Victor Besa / The National

A signboard on Covid-19 precautionary measures at Umm Al Emarat Park, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

At least 17,272 people across the UAE are battling Covid-19 – the highest number of active case since the pandemic began.

On Monday, an additional 1,148 cases of Covid-19 were detected, raising the number of total infections to 177,577.

A little over 1 per cent of the 87,635 tests carried out over the past 24 hours proved positive for the virus.

At least 579 patients recovered, making it 159,711 people to have overcome Covid-19 in the Emirates to date.

Health authorities said two patients died of complications related to the virus, bringing the death toll to 594.

Daily cases have exceeded 1,000 for the past seven weeks with 1,578 being the highest number of infections reported in one day on October 22.

The number of active cases has steadily risen since November 4, when 1,822 people were battling Covid-19. The highest number of active cases in the UAE prior to Monday had been 17,173 on June 4.

The UAE has carried out more than 17.5 million Covid-19 tests since the outbreak in one of the largest screening operations per capita worldwide.

To encourage further testing, the price of PCR tests has been reduced to Dh85 in all Seha screening centres across the country.

Previously, healthcare facilities in Abu Dhabi could not charge more than Dh180 for a swab test.

At the start of the outbreak, the standard price for a PCR test in the UAE was Dh370. This was reduced to Dh250 in September.

A few weeks later, clinics in Abu Dhabi dropped the price to Dh180, while government-run hospitals in Dubai offered PCR nasal swab tests for Dh150.

PCR tests are mandatory for anyone wishing to travel abroad or enter the country.

Entry to Abu Dhabi from another emirate requires a negative PCR of DPI blood test result.