Dubai - UAE has conducted nearly 18.2 million tests.
The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention on Sunday reported 1,194 cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus, along with 631 recoveries.
Eight deaths were also reported in the country as a result of the illness, which brings the total number of deaths to 617.
There are 20,653 active cases in the country.
As many as 143,781 new Covid-19 tests were carried out on people in UAE.
Healthcare workers across the country heaved a sigh of relief as the UAE announced the mass use of Sinopharm’s Covid vaccine, saying it was 86 per cent effective. The country had vaccinated over 31,000 volunteers as part of its phase III trial of Sinopharm’s inactivated vaccine for Covid-19 that began in July this year.
It is now available in all clinics run by Abu Dhabi’s public health regulator Seha, private medical facilities run by VPS Healthcare and NMC Hospital. In Dubai, residents can get the shot at Dubai Parks and Resorts field hospital. In Sharjah, it is available at Wasit Medical Centre from 4pm to 9pm. In Ajman, people can go to Al Humaidiya Centre from 9am to 12.30pm and from 5pm to 8.30pm. In Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah, it is available at the Al Bait Metwahid Centre and Murashied Medical Centre respectively.
Meanwhile, researchers at Khalifa University and Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi are developing a model to identify the airborne behaviour of the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.
They will be using nanoparticles to simulate the virus transmission in the healthcare environment. The research will contribute to a safer hospital environment and lower transmission rates, while assessing the effectiveness of masks and other personal protective equipment (PPEs).
Dr Ammar Nayfeh, associate professor at Khalifa University, who is leading the research team, said they are using nanoparticles to understand how the SARS CoV-2 virus travels and stays in the air.