Coronavirus: Dubai shuts 18 shops for breaking Covid rules

Several launderettes, restaurants and hair salons were closed

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  An abra driver wears protective gloves and a face mask in Dubai. Getty Images

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  A sign showing how to prevent infection is seen in Dubai. Getty Images

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  One of the staff member stands inside a Dhow Cruise which is closed as a preventive measure in Deira. Pawan Singh / The National

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  An empty restaurant is pictured outside Dubai Mall. Reuters

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  A picture taken on March 16, 2020 shows Dubai's Burj Khalifa lit up in the colours of the Italian flag and "We are with you" message as a sign of solidarity with Italy. AFP

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  A view shows the Dubai mall almost empty of customers, as precaution amid the outbreak of coronavirus, in Dubai. Reuters

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  An empty beach in Dubai. EPA

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  People walk past shops in Dubai's Deira Souk on on March 15, 2020. AFP

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  Workers clean outside the Louvre Abu Dhabi on March 15, 2020. EPA

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  A man wearing a protective mask walks down the street in Dubai on March 16, 2020. AFP

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  A near-empty tourist boat crosses Dubai's marina on March 16, 2020. AFP

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  A man wears a protective mask at the shopping mall in Dubai. Reuters

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  A school gate is closed with a chain and lock in Dubai. AFP

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  Commuters wear protective masks on the metro in Dubai, March 12. Reuters

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  An attendant wears a protective face mask while using a fuel pump at an Eppco gas station in Dubai on March 10. Bloomberg

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  A member of cleaning staff disinfects a seat screen of an Emirates Airbus A380 on March 5. Reuters

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  A worker with a face mask disembarks from a bus at the Abu Dhabi Main Bus Terminal area on March 5. Victor Besa / The National

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  Commuters, some wearing protective face masks, ride the metro in Dubai on March 5. Bloomberg

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  A trader walks by beneath a stock display board at the Dubai Stock Exchange in the UAE on March 8. AFP

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  A traveller wears a mask at the Dubai International Airport on March 8. Reuters

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  A commuter, wearing a protective face mask, speaks on a mobile phone while riding the metro in Dubai, March 5. Bloomberg

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  A commuter, wearing a protective face mask, walks in Downtown Dubai on March 5. Bloomberg

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  Commuters, wearing protective face masks, walk in downtown Dubai, on March 5. Bloomberg

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  Commuters, wearing protective face masks, walk after exiting a metro station in downtown Dubai, March 5. Bloomberg

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  A commuter, wearing protective face mask, walks through a metro station in downtown Dubai on March 5. Bloomberg

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  Commuters wearing protective face masks use smartphones on the metro in Dubai on March 5. Bloomberg

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  UAE landmarks were lit up for in solidarity with China’s efforts to contain coronavirus, Covid-19 in March. Bilateral trade between the two countries is set to accelerate, according to officials. Wam

Dubai closed 18 businesses for breaching Covid-19 rules.

In a sweep of establishments conducted on Monday, Dubai Municipality said 10 launderettes; five restaurants; and three hair salons were shut.

The establishments were in Naif, Al Barsha, Al Daghaya, Port Saeed and Hor Al Anz East.

The names of the shops were not revealed but inspectors visited 2,352 outlets and 45 other establishments were given warnings about failing to comply with safety measures.

Authorities have been increasing inspections as daily Covid-19 infection rates continue to climb.

On Sunday, the UAE recorded 3,453 cases – its highest daily total so far.

It comes as the country accelerates its vaccination programme, with the Pfizer-BioNTech and Sinopharm shots being administered to the public.

The UAE has administered 19.04 doses per 100 people so far, putting it second in the world in the race to vaccinate its population, according to information compiled by Our World In Data, a research website run by the University of Oxford.

Authorities aim to inoculate 50 per cent of the country by the end of March.