Coronavirus: UAE records 865 new Covid-19 cases and 673 recoveries

New figures bring the total number of diagnosed cases in the country to 83,433 while 72,790 patients have recovered

An employee puts a room key through an ultraviolet sanitiser at Five hotel in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak/The National

A worker places luggage through the ultraviolet sanitiser at Five hotel in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak/The National

A man makes jewellery at the Waterfront Market in Deira. Chris Whiteoak /The National

A woman visits a hair salon at the Waterfront Market in Deira. Chris Whiteoak/The National

Air humidifiers are on display at the Waterfront Market in Deira. Chris Whiteoak/The National

Men load up watermelons at the Waterfront Market in Deira. Chris Whiteoak/The National

A woman receives her ice cream on a hot day in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak/ The National

Student Afzal Abdul Rahiman attends a class at The Gulf Model School in Dubai. Antonie Robertson/The National

Social distancing has been implemented on the school transport buses of The Gulf Model School. Antonie Robertson/The National

Worshippers attend the service in St Paul’s church in Mussafah, Abu Dhabi. Reem Mohammed/The National

A man rides a camel along Al Marmoom Conservation Reserve, outside Dubai. AFP

The UAE recorded 865 Covid-19 cases on Friday, bringing the total number of infections in the Emirates to 83,433.

There were 673 recoveries in the last 24 hours, raising the number of people to have beaten the virus to 72,790.

Authorities said one patient died, taking the death toll to 403. The number of active cases now stands at 10,240.

Since, Thursday the UAE carried out 97,469 tests. In total, almost 8.6m Covid-19 tests have been conducted across the country as part of a mass screening strategy.

It came as authorities in Abu Dhabi announced new regulations that require all international travellers staying in the emirate to be fitted with quarantine wristbands.

The electronic wristband ensures the traveller adheres to a 14-day mandatory quarantine period to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The tag is removed at a medical facility after to its wearer receives a negative PCR nasal swab test on day 12 of quarantine.

Similar rules are in place in other countries as researchers around the world work to develop a Covid-19 vaccine.

On Friday, the World Health Organisation said more than 170 countries had joined its global plan to distribute vaccines fairly around the world.

It also cautioned that a race to develop shots could lead to public fears about safety.

“We already face challenges with vaccine acceptance for many proven vaccines,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

“We cannot risk having an effective vaccine for Covid-19 that people refuse because of the perception that it is unsafe.”

Globally, coronavirus cases reached 30 million on Thursday, while the death toll approaches one million.

In the UK, the British government is preparing to invoke emergency powers to allow the use of a coronavirus vaccine for the public, even if it has not met EU licensing requirements, the i newspaper reported.

The UK would use its own emergency regulations to bypass EU law and roll out a vaccine for use if one became available before the end of the Brexit transition agreement on December 31.