UAE's seven-day Covid-19 case average falls below 1,000 for first time in 11 months

More than 321,000 PCR tests were carried out during the latest 24-hour reporting period

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  A woman receives a dose of the Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine at the Sikh temple in Jebel Ali. All photos: Pawan Singh / The National

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  Guru Nanak Darbar Gurudwara in Jebel Ali teamed up with Tamouh Healthcare to provide on-site Sinopharm vaccination for all UAE residents free of charge.

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  Guru Nanak Darbar hosted an event at the Sikh temple in Dubai to vaccinate 4,500 adults of various nationalities and religions in February.

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  A medic administers a shot of Sinopharm vaccine at the temple in Jebel Ali.

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  People wait to receive a shot of the Sinopharm vaccine at the temple.

The UAE reported 993 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, pushing the total number of infections to 717,374.

Daily cases remained below 1,000 for the seventh day in a row.

It is the first time the country's seven-day rolling average has fallen below 1,000 since October 1, 2020.

Another 1,501 people beat the virus, raising the recovery tally to 703,603.

Health officials said an additional 321,470 PCR tests were conducted in the past 24 hours. The country has carried out more than 74.4 million tests since the beginning of the pandemic.

One patient died in the 24-hour reporting period, taking the death toll to 2,039.

There are 11,732 active cases in the country, a figure which has fallen steadily due to a recent trend of recoveries exceeding new cases.

Mass screening and a nationwide vaccination drive have been key to the UAE's efforts to overcome the pandemic.

More than 18 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered to the public.

More than three-quarters of the public have received two doses of a vaccine.

On Sunday, Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee said residents of the emirate who received their second shot of Sinopharm’s Covid-19 vaccine more than six months ago must have a booster dose by September 20.

People who have received two doses of the vaccine are considered fully vaccinated, but if the second was not administered within the past six months, they must have a third shot.

The booster is required to enhance immunity and there is a 30-day grace period in which to take it, the committee said.

From September 20, people who have not had the booster shot will not be able to enter public places that require green status on Al Hosn, the UAE’s official Covid-19 app.