Coronavirus: UAE records 2,179 new cases

Six more people die, taking the death toll to 1,710

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  People get tested for coronavirus at the Mina Rashid screening centre in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, health authorities have called upon citizens and residents to join with the efforts of health care professionals. Health workers, such as these Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, have led the way. Reem Mohammed / The National

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  Healthcare workers at the emergency ward in Sheikh Khalifa Medical City. The President, Sheikh Khalifa, has paid tribute to the frontline workers who helped to curb Covid-19. Reem Mohammed / The National

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  Healthcare workers at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City receive a patient outside the emergency department. Reem Mohammed / The National

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  A consultant physician at the emergency department in Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, receives a Covid-19 patient. Reem Mohammed / The National

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  People get the laser blood test tests at the Mina Rashid screening centre in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  A nurse sanitises her hands after conducting a swab test at one of the UAE's screening drive-through centres in Mina Rashid, Dubai. Victor Besa / The National

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  A health worker taking the Covid-19 nasal swab test at a testing station in thet Mall of the Emirates in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

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  Nurse Renu Venugopal, who contracted Covid-19, recovered and continued to treat patients at Al Zahra Hospital, Sharjah. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Ruth Deva Kiruba says being pregnant during a pandemic was surreal and sometimes lonely. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  EMT nurse Jephy Antony, who contracted Covid-19, recovered and continued to treat patients at the NMC Royal Hospital, DIP, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  A visitor gets tested at the Ras Al Khaimah Covid-19 drive-through testing centre. Reem Mohammed / The National

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  Nurse Nikhil Rajendran inside the fever clinic at the Bareen International Hospital in Mohamed Bin Zayed City in Abu Dhabi. Pawan Singh / The National

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  Shane Simeon Galang from Philippines, Mervat Aslan Mhgoub Mohamed from Egypt and Sowmya Kotian from India, who are nurses at the Bareen International Hospital in Mohamed bin Zayed City in Abu Dhabi. Pawan Singh / The National

The UAE on Wednesday reported 2,179 new Covid-19 cases.

This took the number of infections since the pandemic began to 589,423.

Officials said 2,151 people recovered from the virus, taking the recovery total to 568,828.

Six more people died from the disease, raising the death toll to 1,710.

Another 254,412 tests were carried out in the reporting period.

On Tuesday, the health ministry said 96,659 vaccine doses were administered in the preceding 24 hours. A total of 13,507,943 doses have been given across the country.

Widespread testing and tracing, stringent safety measures and one of the world's fastest vaccination drives have brought down case numbers.

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

Meanwhile, the UAE's Minister of Health and Prevention, Abdulrahman Al Owais, on Wednesday said he will consider a proposal for the cost of Covid-19 testing to be covered through health insurance.

PCR tests are required to travel to Abu Dhabi from other emirates, as well as for trips abroad, while regular testing is a requirement for many employees.