Another 1,317 cases of Covid-19 were reported throughout the Emirates on Thursday, taking the number of infections to 172,751. The cases were detected after another 132,380 tests were carried out. Since the outbreak, more than 17.1 million tests have been administered in one of the largest screening programmes per capita worldwide. Authorities said 655 patients were cleared of Covid-19, which means 157,035 people have recovered in the UAE to date. More than 91 per cent of all cases in the Emirates have ended in recovery. Officials said five patients died of related complications, raising the death toll to 585. The number of active cases stands at 15,131 – a figure last recorded in mid-June after the country was recovering from a high of 17,173 active cases. Active cases have increased by more than 13,000 since November 4, when fewer than 2,000 people were battling Covid-19. During the country's regular briefing this week, officials said the UAE had one of the lowest infection rates compared with the volume of testing. Dr Omar Al Hammadi, spokesman for the briefing, said only 1 per cent of all tests conducted produced a positive result, which is lower than all of the EU, the Mena region and countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. He said the death rate in the UAE (0.3 per cent) was also significantly lower than in other parts of the world. With the National Day long weekend under way, officials reminded the public to adhere to safety measures and avoid gatherings.
