Coronavirus: UAE reports 3,491 new cases on eighth day of record daily infections

Active cases are at an all-time high with 27,792 currently battling the coronavirus

Abu Dhabi residents enjoy the winter weather on the Corniche in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

A couple watch the sunset from the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

A man plays at Arena Games at DIFC Gate Avenue. Reem Mohammed / The National

Staff disinfects the lobby at the Waldorf Astoria on Al Hamra Island in Ras Al Khaimah. Leslie Pableo for The National

A pianist performs at the Waldorf Astoria on Al Hamra Island in Ras Al Khaimah. Leslie Pableo for The National

Children play at Zabeel park in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

A closed notice is pasted on the gate of a church in Jebel Ali in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

A man sells balloons in Zabeel park in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

A medical staff member answers questions from people getting tested at the DPI Testing Centres in Ghantoot, at the border of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Leslie Pableo for The National

Tests are carried out at the drive-through DPI screening centres in Ghantoot, at the border between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Leslie Pableo for The National

The UAE reported 3,491 new cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday – the highest number of daily infections for the eighth consecutive day.

The infections were detected after another 163,049 tests were carried out.

The new cases raised the country's total since the pandemic began to 260,223 .

Of these, 231,675 patients have recovered, after 3,311 more were cleared of the virus.

Five people died of related complications over the past 24 hours, increasing the country's toll to 756.

The number of active cases now stands at 27,792 – the highest since the outbreak.

More than 23.7 million PCR and DPI tests have been carried out across the UAE since January.

Case numbers have been rising around the world, as well as within the UAE.

Health authorities previously said this was due to internal infections as well as travellers into the Emirates carrying Covid-19.

Two vaccines are available for free and on a voluntary basis in the UAE.

China's Sinopharm vaccine is widely available across the Emirates, while the Pfizer-BioNTech jab has been rolled out in Dubai.

Since the country began its vaccination drive, 1.97m doses have been administered.

That is the equivalent of 19.93 doses administered per 100 people in the total population.

On Tuesday, a survey of 1,200 people in the UAE found that, since the outbreak, employees want better health insurance with a greater focus on physical and mental wellbeing.

Two-thirds of respondents wanted employers to increase their spending on policies, with 76 per cent calling for more "comprehensive coverage".

The poll was carried out by Aetna International, a health insurer.