Coronavirus: UAE records 1,289 new cases and 1,135 recoveries

An additional 131,633 tests were carried out in the past 24 hours

People walk around in the Al Karama area of Dubai as life in the UAE beings to resemble pre-pandemic times. All photos: Pawan Singh / The National

The country has got to grips with curbing the spread of Covid-19.

The UAE registered its lowest daily tally of new Covid-19 infections in 20 months.

More than 100 million coronavirus tests have been conducted in the UAE to date.

People wearing masks are out shopping in the Al Karama area of Dubai.

The UAE's extensive vaccination campaign has been widely credited with helping to drive down case numbers.

New daily cases have remained below 100 for five weeks.

Authorities confirmed last week that 100 per cent of the eligible population had now received at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose.

More than 90 per cent of the UAE population are fully vaccinated.

A masked worker pushes a trolley laden with water bottles in the Al Karama area of Dubai.

Social distancing stickers pasted at a bus stop serve as a warning to travellers in Dubai.

People shopping in the Al Karama area of Dubai.

The UAE reported 1,289 more coronavirus cases on Thursday, taking the tally of infections to 138,599.

Authorities said 1,135 patients were given the all-clear, taking recoveries to 136,118.

Health officials also announced three deaths. Covid-19 has now killed 508 people in the UAE.

The latest infections were identified after 131,633 tests were carried out in 24 hours. There have been more than 13.7 million tests in the UAE to date.

Health authorities said there are 1,973 active cases.

On Wednesday,  authorities said anyone who enters Abu Dhabi from any other emirate will need to take up to three coronavirus tests under the latest regulations governing the capital's borders.

Starting November 8, to enter Abu Dhabi, a person must present a negative DPI blood test or PCR nasal swab result received within 48 hours.

If they are staying in the emirate longer than four consecutive days, they must take a PCR test on the fourth day. The day of arrival into Abu Dhabi is counted as day one.

In global developments on Thursday, Australia ordered a further 50 million vaccine doses for an inoculation programme from March 2021.

The Australian government will buy 40 million vaccine doses from Novavax, and 10 million from Pfizer and BioNTech.

Meanwhile, India reported a daily jump of 50,210 coronavirus infections, taking its total to 8.36 million cases.

Mainland China barred entry to some travellers from Britain and Belgium and set strict testing requirements on visitors from the Us, France and Germany, as it reimposed border restrictions in response to rising global cases.