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Combating Covid-19: Dubai officials hope extensive preventive measures will mitigate coronavirus impact in the emirate 

Dubai - Key frontline workers are accelerating plans to safeguard the health and safety of the community, police chief Al Marri and health supremo Al Qutami insist in a televised Q and A.

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Under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the constant support of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, officials said on Thursday that they hope extensive preventive measures will alleviate the impact of Covid-19 in Dubai. 
Speaking in a media Q&A session organised by the Government of Dubai Media Office in cooperation with Dubai TV, key Dubai decision-makers said pivotal frontline workers in the fight against Covid-19 are working closely together to accelerate National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) plans at federal level.
Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander in Chief of Dubai Police, and Humaid Al Qutami, Chairman of the Board and Director General of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), answered a series of questions from major Arabic and English media in the UAE. 

.@DubaiPoliceHQ Commander-in-Chief, Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri: @HHShkMohd and @HamdanMohammed are closely following up efforts of various government teams in #Dubai. We work as one team to ensure safety and wellbeing of the community. pic.twitter.com/ehOuQWRA82
- Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) April 9, 2020

Robust and comprehensive measures were put in place by the Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management, chaired by Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
The measures are urgently aiming to safeguard the health and safety of the Dubai community in alignment with global protocols and best practices. 
The Q and A session, which was held to discuss measures being taken to combat the coronavirus, was broadcast on Dubai TV and Dubai One channels.
Al Marri said that, with the implementation of key measures such as the expanded National Disinfection Programme and intensified restrictions on movement, officials hope to see a reduction in the number of new Covid-19 cases and the death rate soon. 
The officials praised all teams working to combat the coronavirus, and thanked the UAE's leaders for their clear directions on measures to safeguard public health and safety.
Al Qutami said DHA is working to measure the impact of the intensified restrictions on movement on the rate of new cases.
He said the Authority has drawn on global experiences to work in an integrated manner to counter the spread of the virus. 
The DHA is working with other Government departments and the Permanent Committee for Labour Affairs to conduct awareness programmes on preventive measures against Covid-19 among blue-collar workers. Extensive disinfection of labour camps has been conducted as part of the larger sterilisation programme in the emirate.
Al Qutami highlighted the efforts of volunteers and charity organisations in providing essential supplies to these areas. The disinfection programme was conducted in a way that minimises the impact on people's lives, he noted.  
Meanwhile, Al Marri said Dubai Police has extensive technological infrastructure for monitoring compliance with the restrictions on movement. 
This has harnessed its capabilities in technology and artificial intelligence to implement the restrictions aimed at safeguarding the health of the community and ensuring social distancing, he said.
Dubai Police's measures are aligned with the UAE Ministry of Interior's guidelines to enforce restrictions in combination with the movement permit system.
Al Marri called on all UAE nationals, expatriates and visitors to closely follow Dubai Police's announcements to gain a clear understanding of the restrictions on movement.  
Answering a question on the time it takes for patients to recover from  coronavirus, Al Qutami replied: "The duration depends on the patient's health condition and immunity. Most infected people, 80 to 85%, do not require intensive care and recover in a period of between 7- 30 days." 

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- Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) April 9, 2020

Al Qutami added that blood banks have been affected globally by the challenges resulting from the Covid-19 outbreak.
However, he pointed out that the Dubai Blood Donation Centre received blood donations from 8,300 donors in February and March, which is close to the average monthly donation rates.
All precautionary measures were taken to ensure blood was collected in a safe way without endangering the health of any party.  
DHA, in coordination with the Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management, is looking to enhance the capacity of government and private hospitals and clinics to both quarantine patients and treat coronavirus cases.
Two temporary hospitals will be set up in the coming days to cater to emergencies and will provide an additional capacity for dealing with 4,000 - 5,000 cases, it was revealed on Thursday.
Through an integrated system established through cooperation between the public and private health sectors, the capacity for treating and isolating patients will be increased. Quarantine facilities are also being set up in five-star hotels.
Many businessmen and owners of hotels and other buildings have donated their facilities to support medical services, Al Qutami revealed.  

.@DubaiPoliceHQ Commander-in-Chief, Lieutenant General Abdullah Al Marri: Social distancing & adherance to medical advice will reduce COVID-19 cases. Thank you to those who complied with #StayHome order. There have been violations of restrictions, violators will face legal action
- Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) April 9, 2020

He added that a 24-7 hotline has been established to respond to queries from anyone who has Covid-19 symptoms. Medical teams will reach out to the person once they have contacted the hotline.
In case they test positive, the patient is quarantined and all close contacts are traced to ensure the virus doesn't spread.   
Under the generous directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to make testing widely available to all nationals, expatriates and visitors, two 24-hour testing centres have been set up in Port Rashid and Al Khawaneej.
Furthermore, a drive-through testing centre has also been established in Al Nasr Club and mobile testing units are travelling through Dubai's densely populated areas as part of proactive measures to identify coronavirus cases.
Al Qutami said that the elderly, pregnant women and people with chronic diseases will be given priority for testing. More than 250,000 tests have been conducted in Dubai, one of the highest rates globally.  
In response to a question on preventive measures in Naif, Al Marri said extensive precautionary steps and tests have been conducted among residents of the area as part of the emirate-wide campaign.
All health, police, municipality, civil defence and volunteer teams are working to support key measures, he concluded.