Coronavirus: UAE reports 2,798 new cases

Accelerated recovery rate brings active infections down by almost 10,000 to 18,671 from mid-January

Families walk in Umm Al Emarat Park in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Abu Dhabi private school staff wait to be vaccinated against Covid-19 as part of a drive organised by Adek. Courtesy: Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge

A man receives a dose of a vaccine against Covid-19 at St Paul’s Church in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

A coronavirus vaccine shipment is unloaded from an Emirates aircraft at Dubai International Airport on February 1. The airline is part of the Vaccine Logistics Alliance, which also includes logistics giant DP World. AFP

A panel indicates the way to a Covid-19 vaccination centre set up at Dubai International Financial Centre. AFP

A woman waits for her turn at a vaccination centre at Dubai International Financial Centre. AFP

A man is registered before receiving a dose of vaccine at a centre in Dubai International Financial Centre. AFP

A health worker checks a man's temperature before he receives a dose of vaccine. AFP

A commuter wears a face mask while travelling on the Dubai Metro. AP

More patients beat Covid-19 than tested positive for the coronavirus in the UAE for the ninth consecutive day on Monday.

Health authorities reported 2,798 new cases of infection, while the number of people to have cleared the virus was 3,933.

The accelerated recovery rate brought active cases down to 18,671, after the high of 27,792 in mid-January.

Ninety-four per cent of people infected, at least 309,692, overcome Covid-19 across the country since the outbreak. In total, 329,293 cases were reported.

Nine patients died of Covid-19 on Monday, raising the death toll to 930, or 0.27 per cent of all cases.

The new infections were detected after another 148,587 tests were conducted in the UAE, which is among the top countries for screening per capita worldwide.

More than 27 million DPI and PCR tests have been carried out since the nation’s first cases were detected in January last year.

The country is also embarking on a widespread vaccination drive to immunise at least half of the population by the end of next month.

Four vaccines are available, of which Sinopharm is used throughout the country. Another 99,781 doses of the vaccine were administered since Sunday, raising the total number to more than 4.4m. This equates to 44.63 doses per 100 people.

This week, authorities said older adults, people with disabilities and anyone with chronic illness would have priority for the next six weeks.

Anyone yet to receive their first dose of the vaccine must now wait until late March or early April.

But people who have taken their first dose and have the second scheduled over the next few weeks will receive the vaccine as planned, authorities said.

In an effort to slow the rate of infection, authorities have also brought in health and safety measures to restrict crowding in public and private spaces.

Capacity limits have been placed on restaurants, gyms, pools and beaches, and malls across much of the country.

On Monday, Ajman’s Department of Economic Development said cafes and restaurants would have to close at midnight and reduce capacity to 50 per cent.

The department said up to 50 people could attend weddings, provided all in attendance wear face masks, have tested negative for the virus and maintain a distance of at least two metres from one another.