Sheikh Mohamed reassures UAE over Omicron spread but warns 'take precautions'


Sarah Forster
  • English
  • Arabic

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, said on Monday he wanted to both warn and reassure UAE citizens and residents as they face a new wave of Covid-19 cases.

"You all know that corona comes in waves and this wave, thank God, is the weakest and less fatal but the most and fastest spread and these numbers may possibly increase because of the rapid spread," Sheikh Mohamed said.

"I want to warn and reassure – warn that cases are increasing and reassure you that according to people more experienced than us, that it has begun to weaken and, God willing, we will be able to control it with your efforts and those of your brothers in the country and by taking precautions."

Sheikh Mohamed was speaking at a Qasr Al Bahr Majlis where he met Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the Emirati now leading the International Automobile Federation.

The Crown Prince said people should be careful and take care of their families, emphasising that this wave will also pass.

The UAE recorded 2,234 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, bringing the total number of infections recorded since the pandemic began to 757,145.

No deaths were recorded, meaning the toll remained at 2,160.

Another 774 people beat the virus, raising the number of recoveries to 743,340.

The latest cases were identified as a result of an additional 448,050 PCR tests. This figure represents a record number conducted over a 24-hour reporting period.

Live updates: follow the latest news on Covid-19 variant Omicron

  • Medical workers conduct Covid-19 antigen tests on Palestinians entering Israel from the Gaza Strip. Bloomberg
    Medical workers conduct Covid-19 antigen tests on Palestinians entering Israel from the Gaza Strip. Bloomberg
  • Commuters wearing protective masks to prevent the spread of Covid-19 get out of a tram in Istanbul. Turkey says the highly contagious Omicron variant now makes up more than 10 per cent of new cases in the country's crowded provinces. AP
    Commuters wearing protective masks to prevent the spread of Covid-19 get out of a tram in Istanbul. Turkey says the highly contagious Omicron variant now makes up more than 10 per cent of new cases in the country's crowded provinces. AP
  • A nurse collects samples at a Covid-19 drive-through in the NMC Hospital, Dubai Investments Park. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A nurse collects samples at a Covid-19 drive-through in the NMC Hospital, Dubai Investments Park. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Pharmacies in the UAE have started selling Covid-19 self-testing kits. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Pharmacies in the UAE have started selling Covid-19 self-testing kits. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Audience members wear protective masks during a lecture in Ankara, Turkey. AP
    Audience members wear protective masks during a lecture in Ankara, Turkey. AP
  • An Egyptian worshipper lights candles during Christmas Eve Mass at Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Cairo. AP
    An Egyptian worshipper lights candles during Christmas Eve Mass at Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Cairo. AP
  • Worshippers attend Christmas Eve Mass at Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Cairo. AP
    Worshippers attend Christmas Eve Mass at Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Cairo. AP
  • People arrive to receive Covid-19 vaccine doses at a facility in Kuwait City. EPA
    People arrive to receive Covid-19 vaccine doses at a facility in Kuwait City. EPA
Updated: December 30, 2021, 6:25 AM