Coronavirus: UAE records 1,968 new cases and three deaths

Another 1,933 people recovered over a 24-hour period

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 reported 1,968 new coronavirus cases and 1,933 recoveries on Monday.

Officials said three people died in the past 24 hours from Covid-19 complications.

The country has recorded 585,039 cases, 564,509 recoveries and 1,702 deaths since the first case was detected in the Emirates on January 29 last year.

Widespread testing and tracing, stringent safety measures and a high vaccination rate have been credited for bringing down daily infections.

Cases have dropped since reaching close to 4,000 a day in January.

An additional 208,090 tests were conducted over the past 24 hours, bringing to 51,923,942 the total number carried out since the beginning of the outbreak.

The health ministry said 31,549 vaccine doses were administered in the preceding 24 hours. A total of 13,347,300 doses have been given across the country.

Meanwhile, in Norway, one of the country’s top doctors has declared the Covid-19 crisis over.

Preben Aavitsland, chief physician in the infection control division at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, posted a graph on Twitter showing hospitals were experiencing the lowest level of admissions in a year.

"That is the pandemic over with," he said.

He later told newspaper VG that the country could begin to prepare for a return to normality.

“Here in Norway, the pandemic is so to say over,” he said.

“We can start to prepare ourselves for corona taking very little space in our everyday lives.”