Coronavirus: UAE announces 518 new cases and four deaths

A further 29,000 tests for the virus have been carried out while the number of recoveries has risen to 1,637

Customers wearing protective masks as they shop at the vegetables market for the upcoming Ramadan in Dubai. EPA

AIDA prima, the flagship of AIDA Cruises docks at Port Rashid in Dubai. AFP

Customers wearing protective masks as they shop at the vegetables market for the upcoming Ramadan in Dubai. EPA

Kitchen staff wear protective masks, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease in Baghdad, Iraq. Reuters

A woman on the left holds a paper reading "When will you have it enough from stealing" as civil servants in a protest demanding the payment of overdue wages, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease in Sulaimaniya, Iraq. Reuters

A woman walks through a part of the mostly empty Qazvin old traditional bazaar some 93 miles northwest of the capital Tehran, Iran. AP

Workers disinfect the Wavel camp (also known as the Jalil Camp) for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley, after the UN announced the first confirmed case of coronavirus there. AFP

Workers disinfect the Wavel camp (also known as the Jalil Camp) for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley, after the UN announced the first confirmed case of coronavirus there. AFP

Anti-government protesters stand on the top of their cars and wave a Lebanese flag and a cardboard fist labelled "Revolution", as they protest by driving through the streets to express rejection of the political leadership they blame for the economic and financial crisis, in Beirut, Lebanon. AP Photo

A worker cleans and sterilises the Kaaba in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Reuters

Local residents, in their flat due to the coronavirus, watch celebrations ahead of the National Sovereignty and Children's Day, in Istanbul. AP

A customer wearing a face mask walks near seats at an outdoor market set up by the Algerian government to prevent crowding inside supermarkets, in Algiers, Algeria. Reuters

The daughters of Palestinian Karate coach Khaled Sheikh el Eid (not pictured) train together on the rooftop of their family house at a refugee camp in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. EPA

The UAE recorded 518 new cases of Covid-19 on Thursday and confirmed four more deaths of patients who had contracted the virus.

Health officials revealed that a further 29,000 tests for coronavirus had been conducted in the past 24 hours as part of nationwide efforts to tackle the spread of the disease.

The Ministry of Health and Prevention confirmed 91 more people had made full recoveries following positive tests, taking the total number of patients to be given the all-clear to 1,637.

The Emirates has recorded 8,756 coronavirus cases since the start of the outbreak.

The four people to have died were all expatriates originally from countries in Asia.

A total of 56 people have died in the country after contracting the virus.

Authorities in Abu Dhabi and Dubai have announced plans to gradually ease restrictions put in place to slow the spread of the highly-contagious virus.

On Wednesday, officials in Abu Dhabi said they were considering reopening malls and were consulting with traders over the plans.

Shoppers could be allowed into shopping malls as long as masks and gloves were worn and payments were cashless.

The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development said it was in talks with mall operators and retailers to "explore options as part of a staggered series of reopenings across key sectors".

It would give the public "more options to purchase products they may need, in addition to e-commerce, and to support local retailers and businesses", the department said.

In Dubai, Shoppers would be allowed into malls for three hours, provided they wear a mask and keep their distance, according to new plans from the government.

Children aged between three to 12 and people over 60 would not be permitted, Dubai Economy said in a briefing note on Wednesday.

Shopping centres must also limit the number of people entering to no more than 30 per cent of their total capacity.