Coronavirus: Abu Dhabi extends ban on events and weddings

Ban on events and closure of venues in the UAE capital to continue 'indefinitely'

Carrefour shoppers at the parking lot with their groceries at the Yas Mall. Victor Besa / The National

People wearing protective face mask after doing shopping at the Carrefour supermarket in Ibn Battuta mall in Dubai. UAE government told residents to wear facemask and gloves all the times outside the home. Pawan Singh / The National

A grocery shopper with a face mask on at Souk Planet, Khalifa City. Face masks should be worn at all times when outside the home, the UAE government said on Saturday. Victor Besa / The National

People wearing protective face mask after doing shopping at the Carrefour in Discovery Pavilion in Discovery Gardens area in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

A delivery driver stacks water to provide to residents in an extremely quiet Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

One of the shopper with protective face mask after doing shopping at the Carrefour supermarket in Ibn Battuta mall in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, April 5, 2020. Grocery shoppers with face mask s on at Souk Planet, Khalifa City. Face masks should be worn at all times when outside the home, the UAE government said on Saturday. Victor Besa / The National

A construction worker crosses the street with a mask on at Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi. Face masks should be worn at all times when outside the home. Victor Besa / The National

A lone Zomato delivery man crosses the Al Bandar overpass at Khalifa City. Victor Besa / The National

The Warner Brothers theme park on Yas Island was temporarily closed during the pandemic. Victor Besa / The National

Barriers in place at Sunset Beach near Jumeirah Beach Hotel, during the height of the pandemic. Antonie Robertson / The National

A cleaner drives a street sweeper in Jumeirah, Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National

Pharmacies across the country have seen a spike in sales of face masks. Antonie Robertson / The National

A man prays alone in a car park in Sharjah when mosques, churches and temples were temporarily closed. Antonie Robertson / The National

Lines of taxis sit outside Global Village in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A healthcare worker on her way to work on a gloomy Monday morning at the Al Mushrif area of Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

During the height of the pandemic the RTA closed entrances leading to Al Ras area of Dubai from three main roads and interchanges: Al Musalla, Al Khaleej, and Baniyas Streets. Reem Mohammed / The National

An empty Sunset Beach located between the Jumeirah Beach Hotel and Kite Beach in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National

A man walks, while wearing a mask, to get to work in Dubai during the stay home policy in the UAE. Antonie Robertson / The National .

A man cleans the Barsha Heights welcome sign at the entrance to the neighbourhood in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National

Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management announced increased restrictions on movement in Al Ras area of Dubai for two weeks to facilitate intensified sterilisation procedures in 2020. Reem Mohammed / The National

A sign at Global Village thanking Dubai's heroes. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A man waits on the street with a face mask on outside a restaurant in Barsha Heights in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A ban on public and private events, including weddings, in Abu Dhabi has been extended "indefinitely".

The emirate's Department of Culture and Tourism initially announced a two-week ban on events and closure of tourist venues, to prevent the spread of coronavirus, on March 16.

This ban was extended on Friday until the foreseeable future. It includes the closure of tourist destinations including theme parks, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Qasr Al Hosn and Qasr Al Watan. Malls and cinemas have also been closed along with places of worship, including mosques, to avoid congregations.

The UAE has registered 1,024 cases of coronavirus including 96 recoveries and eight deaths.

The country has implemented a raft of measures limiting movement and gatherings to stop further infections.