Coronavirus: UAE announces 432 new cases and 101 recoveries

New cases bring country's tally to 5,365 cases, with more than 1,000 recoveries

A health worker places a swab in a tube after testing a foreign worker for the novel coronavirus at a testing centre in the Naif area of Dubai. Karim Sahib / AFP 

The UAE on Wednesday evening reported 432 new cases of coronavirus, as the number of patients to have recovered passed the 1,000 mark.

The Ministry of Health and Prevention said 101 patients recovered, pushing the total to 1,034 recoveries in the UAE since the Covid-19 outbreak.

Five people also died as a result of the virus on Wednesday, taking the country's total to 33 deaths.

They were three people from Asia, one from the GCC and another an Arab country, all of whom had pre-existing chronic conditions, the ministry said.

More than 767,000 Covid-19 tests have been carried out across the country since the UAE recorded its first coronavirus cases in late January.

The increase in testing is part of the UAE's early detection strategy that seeks to identify all cases to isolate and treat them before the virus can spread to anyone else.

The UAE on Wednesday launched a nationwide drive to boost mental health and help people to overcome the threat of coronavirus.

Officials said a healthy mind could strengthen physical health, while "fear and anxiety" could harm the body's ability to battle the virus.

The well-being strategy – called La Tsheloon Hamm, or "do not be concerned" – will offer mental health support through social media and a daily podcast.

"We need to work out how to deal with stress," said Ammar Al Muaini, spokesman for the National Programme for Happiness and Quality of Life.

Authorities have also converted Dubai World Trade Centre into the country’s first field hospital, with 3,000 beds including 800 for intensive care patients.

The field hospital will take pressure from the emirate's hospitals.

On Wednesday, the number of worldwide cases passed 2 million after the UK reported its latest figures.

It took 83 days to reach the first million cases worldwide but only 14 days for the second million.

The pandemic has killed more than 131,100 people globally.