Coronavirus: UAE announces record-high 2,988 Covid-19 cases

Five people died, taking the country's death toll to 694

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

The UAE recorded 2,988 Covid-19 cases on Thursday, its largest tally to date.

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

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

Five patients died, raising the death toll to 694.

Officials have reported 221,554 cases since the outbreak began.

The latest infections were detected as a result of 163,100 tests.

Close to 22 million tests have been conducted across the country as part of a mass screening strategy aimed at curbing the spread of the virus.

The number of active cases stands at 21,882.

The UAE has confirmed a record number of Covid-19 cases in seven of the last nine days.

The country has launched a major vaccination drive to help combat the pandemic.

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.

China's Sinopharm vaccine is widely available across the Emirates, while the Pfizer-BioNTech jab has been rolled out in Dubai.

The Emirates will also help other countries in their vaccination drives.

Hope Consortium, a storage and delivery hub in Abu Dhabi, will stockpile shots for countries without advanced refrigeration facilities.

Vaccines such as Pfizer-BioNTech need to be kept at temperatures of -70°C.

There are an estimated 3 billion of the world’s 7.8bn population living in areas which cannot maintain a vaccine “cold chain". There are growing fears those most in need won't be vaccinated.

The storage in Abu Dhabi can handle tens of millions of vaccines at any one time. It can store vaccines and deliver them in batches as required through Etihad and freight forwarders on the ground.