Coronavirus: UAE records 479 cases as 1,217 more patients recover

Officials conducted a further 45,000 tests as two patients died after contracting the virus

People wearing face mask buy fruits and vegetables at the Al Awir fruit and vegetable market during a hot and humid day in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

People have lunch at Cafe Isan in JLT on a sunny day in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Safety measures put in place at Guru Nanak Darbar Sikh temple in Dubai as places of worship hope to reopen soon. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Guru Nanak Darbar Sikh temple in Dubai has put in place safety measures awaiting instructions from authorities to reopen. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Security guard checks the temperature of a visitor at the Al Awir fruit and vegetable market during a hot and humid day in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

A chef prepares freshly roasted chicken wearing a face mask and gloves at Nightjar Coffee in Al Serkal Avenue, Al Quoz, to comply with health and safety measures put in place by Dubai Municipality. Antonie Robertson / The National

A staff at Nightjar Coffee in Al Serkal Avenue, Al Quoz, makes coffee as restaurants are allowed to open after complying with strict procedures put in place by Dubai Municipality. Antonie Robertson / The National

A woman wearing a face mask walks past art work depicting Emirati boys playing in Al Satwa area in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

A worker cleans signs outside an Emirates NBD branch on Al Wasl road in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

People wear protective face masks while waiting for the bus in Al Satwa area of Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Pedestrians wear protective face masks in Dubai's Al Satwa area. Pawan Singh / The National

Rami, a jeweller, cleans a ring in a Dubai store. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Mohamed Hawas Al Sadid, chief executive of the Ambulatory Healthcare Services checks the Covid-19 assessment center at ADNEC in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National 

Staff at the Nightjar Coffee cafe in Al Serkal Avenue, Dubai follow strict  procedures  to ensure health and safety measures put in place by Dubai Municipality. Antonie Robertson / The National

Another 479 cases of Covid-19 were reported in the UAE on Thursday after more than 45,000 tests were conducted across the country.

Authorities said 1,217 patients have recovered and were discharged from hospital, while two died.

The new figures take the country’s tallies to 40,986 cases, 25,234 recoveries and 286 deaths since late January.

Authorities have repeatedly stressed the need to follow precautionary measures to contain the spread of the virus.

These include wearing face masks at all times in public places and maintaining social distancing.

Young children and those over 60 years are still barred from shopping malls, despite them now operating at full capacity.

Yesterday, Dr Amna Al Shamsi, a spokeswoman for the UAE government, said officials could not yet indicate if the end of the pandemic was in sight.

"Some of the positive indicators that we monitor within the daily conditions of Covid-19 in the country do not necessarily mean the end of the pandemic, or the beginning of the decline phase, and certainly does not mean a return to the full exercise of our natural life," she said.

"At the current stage it is difficult to make any predictions or results for a satisfactory future in the country. We need a longer period of monitoring and analysis."

Dr Fatima Al Kaabi, of Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi, said a new stem cell treatment recently introduced in the UAE proved successful.

"The initial results of stem cell therapy are promising, and 73 patients with moderate to severe symptoms were tested, all of whom responded well to treatment," Dr Al Kaabi said.

"Patients who received stem cell therapy showed clinical improvement within four days of treatment, while patients who received conventional treatment took eight days to show similar results."

Globally, coronavirus cases reached 7.3 million on Thursday, with 3.4 million recoveries and 416,116 deaths.