Coronavirus: UAE administers 61,396 vaccine doses in past 24 hours

Inoculation drive stepped up as cases hit new highs

A medical worker puts away a Covid-19 swab test at one of the Mussaffah testing facilities. Victor Besa / The National

An Abu Dhabi resident goes for a jog along the Corniche in the capital as the government eases movement restrictions. Victor Besa / The National

Abu Dhabi residents wear mandatory masks as they walk in the city. Victor Besa / The National

Safety instructions are on display outside Al Awir fruit and vegetable market in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

A person wearing protective face mask and covering his face with laptop bag on a hot day in Bur Dubai area in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Indian citizens queue to check in at the Dubai International Airport before leaving the UAE on a flight back to their home country on May 7. Inbound flights for UAE residents have also begun operating from select cities. Karim Sahim / AFP 

Passengers from an Emirates flight from London queue before being checked by health workers at Dubai International Airport on May 8. Karim Sahib / AFP

Al Wahda Mall in Abu Dhabi has reopened to the public but with safety measures in place to protect shoppers and staff from contracting Covid-19. Victor Besa / The National

Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi has reopened to the public from 12pm to 9pm. Measures remain in place to keep shoppers and staff safe. Victor Besa / The National

Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi will be open from midday to 9pm. Supermarkets and pharmacies will be open from 9am to midnight. Victor Besa / The National

Workers pass by Al Mina vegetables and fruits market in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

A security guard is given a free Covid-19 test at one of the Mussaffah testing centres. Victor Besa / The National

Workers line up to receive a coronavirus test at the Mussaffah industrial area in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Health chiefs in the UAE on Thursday said they administered 61,396 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine in the past 24 hours.

It brings the total number of doses to 887,697 so far.

That is the equivalent of 8.98 doses administered per 100 people in the total population.

It compares to 17.14 in Israel, 4.02 in Bahrain and 1.6 in the United States, according to the latest data from the Our World in Data website.

The UAE is aiming to reach 50 per cent of the population within a few months.

It comes as cases in the UAE reach a new high, with the UAE recording 2,988 Covid-19 cases on Thursday.

The figure surpassed the previous high of 2,067 infections announced the previous day.

A further 3,658 patients overcame the virus, pushing the recovery total to 199,178.

Authorities said case numbers were rising around the world as well as within the UAE.

The UAE has been accelerating the vaccination campaign and on Tuesday announced a deal to manufacture the Sinopharm vaccine locally, in addition to securing millions of available doses for the population.