Coronavirus: UAE announces 479 new cases, 98 recoveries

The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention announced 479 new Covid-19 coronavirus cases on Sunday, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 6,781.

The ministry noted that as part of its plans to expand the scope of testing in the country, it conducted 23,000 additional Covid-19 tests among UAE citizens and residents using top-of-the-line medical examination methods.

As a result of increased testing, the 479 new cases were detected. The individuals in question are from various nationalities, the ministry continued, adding that they are currently in a stable condition.

MoHAP also announced the death of four individuals as a result of the virus, noting one of the deceased was a Gulf national, while the three others were Asian nationals. The total number of deaths resulting from the pandemic has reached 41, the ministry added.

The ministry expressed its sincere condolences to the families of the deceased and wished a speedy recovery to the Covid-19 patients.

The ministry also called upon the public to cooperate with health authorities and adhere to preventative measures.

MoHAP noted that 98 individuals have fully recovered from Covid-19, bringing the total number of recoveries to 1,286.
After the success of the initial round of the nationwide sterilisation campaign, Dubai on Friday announced an extension of the campaign for another week.
To detect cases early and curb the spread of the coronavirus, the UAE has opened 14 drive-through testing facilities that can screen hundreds of people daily without them having any direct contact with healthcare workers.
Meanwhile, UAE has also started clinical trials of plasma therapy for treatment of Covid-19. Their effectiveness is being researched, and the UAE is keen to further look into studies and treatments around the world.

In a bid to combat the spread of coronavirus, several precautionary measures were put in place in the UAE, including the #StayHome initiative, a nationwide sanitisation drive, guidelines for proper hygiene in homes and workplaces, among others.

Among the latest steps taken by the UAE government is that all residency visas, entry permits and Emirates IDs will remain valid until the end of 2020.
Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah have also announced restriction on movement of workers to and from other emirates.
Dubai's Covid-19 Command and Control Center has also announced the UAE's first full genome sequencing of the Covid-19 virus. The successful sequencing of the virus from a patient in Dubai was performed by researchers at the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU).