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A Covid-19 Whatsapp service established by health chiefs in Dubai has received more than 50,000 requests for support in less than six months.

The Dubai Health Authority's free messaging channel was rolled out in early April to answer concerns from the public about the pandemic.

It has handled 54,881 requests about many issues related to coronavirus in the months since.

The most asked question is: "Am I eligible for a coronavirus test and what is the procedure to get the test?". The next most popular queries are "Can I get a coronavirus medical certificate?" and "I suspect that there is a sick person with Coronavirus, what do I do?"

The authority said the automated, 24-hour service was crucial in debunking myths and rumours about the spread of Covid-19.

"We wanted a system that would respond to patients’ queries timeously and to give people a credible channel to receive accurate information," said Fatma Al Khaja, director of the Customer Happiness Department at DHA.

"The system provides users with an opportunity to learn more about the virus, get UAE statistics and even find out if they are eligible for a coronavirus test," she said.

Officials have repeatedly stressed the importance of getting information from official sources as cases rise.

The UAE on Thursday reported its highest number of Covid-19 cases as 1,158 infections were detected.

Two more patients died as the country's death toll rose to 421, while the recovery total climbed to 84,903.

Testing has ramped up significantly over the past few months and the latest cases were identified as a result of 91,234 examinations.

The numbers come as authorities step up efforts to clamp down on those flouting Covid-19 rules.

Dubai Economy on Thursday fined 17 businesses and issued warnings to 15 others for breaching coronavirus regulations.

To access the Whatsapp service, meanwhile, users can add 800 342 to their phone contacts and send "Hi" on WhatsApp.