• A fruit vendor with his watermelons at the Abu Dhabi Fruits and Vegetables Market during the Coronavirus epidemic. Victor Besa / The National
    A fruit vendor with his watermelons at the Abu Dhabi Fruits and Vegetables Market during the Coronavirus epidemic. Victor Besa / The National
  • Abu Dhabi Civil Defence and Police sterilisation drive in Mussafah. Victor Besa / The National
    Abu Dhabi Civil Defence and Police sterilisation drive in Mussafah. Victor Besa / The National
  • A vegetable vendor fixes his gloves at the Abu Dhabi Fruits and Vegetables Market during the Coronavirus epidemic. Victor Besa / The National
    A vegetable vendor fixes his gloves at the Abu Dhabi Fruits and Vegetables Market during the Coronavirus epidemic. Victor Besa / The National
  • A key worker wears a facemask as he walks passed a brightly coloured mural in Media City, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A key worker wears a facemask as he walks passed a brightly coloured mural in Media City, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • A deserted part of JBR, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A deserted part of JBR, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • A digger does some work on an empty Jumeirah beach, this is normally a very popular spot for beach goers, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A digger does some work on an empty Jumeirah beach, this is normally a very popular spot for beach goers, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Abu Dhabi Civil Defence and Police sterilisation drive in Mussafah. Victor Besa / The National
    Abu Dhabi Civil Defence and Police sterilisation drive in Mussafah. Victor Besa / The National
  • A poster on Sheikh Zayed Road shows a family wearing facemasks tell people to Stay at home, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A poster on Sheikh Zayed Road shows a family wearing facemasks tell people to Stay at home, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • A man walks past fishing boats in Ajman wearing a mask amid the coronavirus crisis. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A man walks past fishing boats in Ajman wearing a mask amid the coronavirus crisis. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • A market worker boxes up fish at Ras Al Khaimah's dock. Antonie Robertson / The National
    A market worker boxes up fish at Ras Al Khaimah's dock. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • Empty streets in RAK as residents stay home for a third week. Antonie Robertson / The National
    Empty streets in RAK as residents stay home for a third week. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • Residents of the Northern Emirates must stay home from 8pm to 6am, but can leave home to shop for essentials outside of those times. Antonie Robertson / The National
    Residents of the Northern Emirates must stay home from 8pm to 6am, but can leave home to shop for essentials outside of those times. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • A sign outside Dubai Parks and Resorts offers support to frontline workers. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A sign outside Dubai Parks and Resorts offers support to frontline workers. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • No entry signs at the closed Corniche in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
    No entry signs at the closed Corniche in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
  • A street cleaner sanitises gutters at Marina Mall car park in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
    A street cleaner sanitises gutters at Marina Mall car park in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
  • The normally busy beaches of Abu Dhabi have been deserted in recent weeks. Victor Besa / The National
    The normally busy beaches of Abu Dhabi have been deserted in recent weeks. Victor Besa / The National
  • A shopper picks up essentials at Carrefour in Dubai's Ibn Battuta Mall. Dubai residents must apply for a permit to leave home. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A shopper picks up essentials at Carrefour in Dubai's Ibn Battuta Mall. Dubai residents must apply for a permit to leave home. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • The only vehicles on Dubai's roads are delivery trucks, bike couriers and minibuses taking essential personnel to and from work. Victor Besa / The National
    The only vehicles on Dubai's roads are delivery trucks, bike couriers and minibuses taking essential personnel to and from work. Victor Besa / The National
  • The empty Al Maktoum Road near Deira Clock Tower in Dubai. It would normally be one of the city's busiest streets. Pawan Singh / The National
    The empty Al Maktoum Road near Deira Clock Tower in Dubai. It would normally be one of the city's busiest streets. Pawan Singh / The National
  • A 24-hour stay-home order and the disinfecting of streets has left Dubai streets mostly deserted. Pawan Singh / The National
    A 24-hour stay-home order and the disinfecting of streets has left Dubai streets mostly deserted. Pawan Singh / The National
  • The famous Deira Clock Tower at the heart of the city's old town. Pawan Singh / The National
    The famous Deira Clock Tower at the heart of the city's old town. Pawan Singh / The National
  • The bridge to Meydan hotel and racecourse stands empty on Saturday evening. Reem Mohammed / The National
    The bridge to Meydan hotel and racecourse stands empty on Saturday evening. Reem Mohammed / The National
  • A shopkeeper waits outside his dress store in Al Ain. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A shopkeeper waits outside his dress store in Al Ain. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • An ambulance on a street in Al Ain. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    An ambulance on a street in Al Ain. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • A quiet street leads to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Grand mosque in Al Ain. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A quiet street leads to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Grand mosque in Al Ain. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • The empty bridge to Meydan during daytime. Reem Mohammed / The National
    The empty bridge to Meydan during daytime. Reem Mohammed / The National
  • Dubai residents must remain indoors at all times, unless they have a permit for essential shopping. Reem Mohammed / The National
    Dubai residents must remain indoors at all times, unless they have a permit for essential shopping. Reem Mohammed / The National
  • Residents queue outside a supermarket in the Muraqqabat area of Deira in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
    Residents queue outside a supermarket in the Muraqqabat area of Deira in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
  • A customer enters a pharmacy in Dubai. Pharmacies and supermarkets are the only stores allowed to remain open to the public. Pawan Singh / The National
    A customer enters a pharmacy in Dubai. Pharmacies and supermarkets are the only stores allowed to remain open to the public. Pawan Singh / The National
  • A man rides his bike across the street in Al Ain. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A man rides his bike across the street in Al Ain. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • A medical worker in a booth prepares to swab residents at a drive-through test centre in the Dubai suburb of Khawaneej. AFP
    A medical worker in a booth prepares to swab residents at a drive-through test centre in the Dubai suburb of Khawaneej. AFP
  • Dubai skyline during lockdown. Antonie Robertson / The National
    Dubai skyline during lockdown. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • A man takes a taxi after leaving the Business Bay Metro station, Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
    A man takes a taxi after leaving the Business Bay Metro station, Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • An awareness board on Meydan road, Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
    An awareness board on Meydan road, Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • The empty Kite Beach area of Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
    The empty Kite Beach area of Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • A healthcare worker crosses an empty street in Bur Dubai while wearing a mask amid the coronavirus outbreak. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A healthcare worker crosses an empty street in Bur Dubai while wearing a mask amid the coronavirus outbreak. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • A gentleman crosses an empty street in Oud Metha in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A gentleman crosses an empty street in Oud Metha in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Men in face mask walking by nurseries in Warsan. Reem Mohammed / The National
    Men in face mask walking by nurseries in Warsan. Reem Mohammed / The National

Coronavirus: 412 new cases as UAE carries out 32,000 tests


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The UAE announced 412 new cases of Covid-19, with 81 people having recovered, adding to the 852 people who have beaten the infection.

These new figures bring the UAE's total number of patients to 4,933, with three fatalities taking the death toll to 28.

The new cases were discovered after 32,000 coronavirus tests were carried out across the country.

The UAE has now conducted 632,000 tests since the virus emerged.

Its Ministry of Health and Prevention expressed its condolences to the families of the three Asian people who died.

The UAE significantly boosted its testing capacity after it opened 14 drive-through screening centres across the country this week.

The centres were built in 10 days by Seha, the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, with Ambulatory Healthcare Services.

They will help to identify undiagnosed cases and reduce the risk of new infections, with each capable of testing between 500 and 600 people a day.

Dr Farida Al Hosani, spokeswoman for the UAE health sector, said an increase in cases was to be expected but called on the public not to be concerned.

Dr Al Hosani said the UAE was being robust in its approach to testing to identify, isolate and treat as many patients as possible.

A government doctor said the UAE could bring the coronavirus outbreak under control within three to four weeks if the public adhered to the stay-home order.

Dr Adil Sajwani said the country should turn a corner and begin to "flatten the curve" in the next month.

But he said that the fight would be prolonged if residents ignored strict measures taken to curb their movement.

"We hope that within three to four weeks, if everyone co-operates, that we will flatten the curve," Dr Sajwani said.

He is a family medicine specialist at the ministry and a member of the national awareness team for Covid-19.