Coronavirus: Abu Dhabi extends travel ban for one week

Only those with special exemptions will be able to move in and out of, and within, the emirate from Tuesday

Restrictions on movement in and out of Abu Dhabi and between the emirate's regions has been extended by another week, starting on Tuesday.

A senior health official said last week that it had to impose the ban to ensure Abu Dhabi's huge testing drive works.

Residents of Abu Dhabi City, Al Ain and Al Dhafra can travel within their cities but not enter or leave them. And they cannot go to other emirates.

The measure, which began on June 2, does not stop people leaving their homes, other than during the nightly disinfection between 10pm and 6am.

Permits allow those working in vital sectors, air passengers and other people with special circumstances to be exempted from the ban.

The extension of the restriction "aims to enhance the effectiveness of the expanded National Screening Programme, among a series of precautionary and preventive measures being taken to reduce contact, curb the spread of Covid-19, and protect the health and safety of all community members," the Abu Dhabi Media Office tweeted on Monday evening.

Last week, Sheikh Abdulla Al Hamed, chairman of Abu Dhabi's Department of Health, said the decision on the initial one-week ban came as the emirate intensified a campaign to test in highly populated areas.

Officials in the emirate are screening all workers living in Mussaffah, an industrial area on the outskirts of the capital.

The campaign started on Monday and is free of charge.

The UAE announced 568 new coronavirus cases on Monday, taking the country's total to 39,376.

The infections were detected after  32,679 more Covid-19 tests were conducted.

Another 469 people have recovered from the virus, bringing the overall tally to 22,275.

Officials said five more patients had died after contracting Covid-19 as the death toll in the Emirates rose to 281.