Coronavirus: Dubai hospitals are safe to visit, say health authorities

Head of the Disease and Epidemic Control Centre says some people have avoided going to hospitals for fear of contracting Covid-19

• 

  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

• 

  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 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

• 

  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 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

• 

  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

• 

  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

• 

  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

• 

  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 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

• 

  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

• 

  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

• 

  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

• 

  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

• 

  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 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

• 

  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

• 

  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 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

Hospitals in Dubai are safe to visit and anyone with an ailment "should not hesitate" to seek medical advice, authorities said on Thursday.

During a weekly press briefing, Dr Amer Al Sharif, head of the Disease and Epidemic Control Centre, part of Dubai's Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management, said hospitals had clear procedures in place to ensure Covid-19 patients were isolated from other visitors to avoid infections.

"If you need any treatment, you must go to hospital if you have a symptom. Do not fear going to hospitals," he said.

Many hospitals in the emirate have introduced a "virtual doctor" option for those who wish to seek medical advice without physically going to hospital.

Do not fear going to hospitals

Dr Al Sharif said Rashid Hospital was mainly where coronavirus patients were being treated but added that other hospitals, public and private, are admitting patients too.

He said all hospitals, including specialised medical centres, are still receiving patients for any ailments – not only coronavirus.

"Children's hospitals are also open and safe," he said.

While the rest of the country has imposed an 8pm to 6am nightly curfew, during which a disinfection programme is carried out, Dubai extended this to 24-hours as of April 4. The curfew is due to last until Saturday, April 18, but may be extended.

On Thursday, Dr Al Sharif said it was not possible to know how long the curfew will last but that decisions would be made based on the results of the disinfection programme and general adherence to the stay home order.

"The [disinfection] programme is considered a precautionary protective measure to ensure the safety of all members of the community, which is why we extended it to 24-hours."

He said the emirate was taking a two-pronged approach to tackling the virus; curbing its spread through social distancing and increasing the number of tests being carried out.

"We are also working to increase hospital capacity and working with partners to ensure we constantly have enough medical supplies," he said.

Tests are now being conducted at most hospitals and even on site in densely populated areas of Dubai, including Al Ras, Naif, Al Khawaneej and in labour accommodation, where testing clinics have been opened.

"All who tested positive are quarantined and isolated and treated with a clear health plan."

Testing is also conducted at airports, where residents who wish to return to their home countries are being repatriated on special flights. Precautionary measures are also in place for airport employees, who are frequently tested and given personal protection equipment to wear, to ensure their safety.

This week, Emirates announced it was also conducting Covid-19 tests at the airport for outgoing passengers prior to boarding. The results take just 10 minutes to process.

During the briefing, Maj Gen Mohammed Al Marri, of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, said Dubai looked forward to being able to reopen its borders and "welcome tourists again soon".

No timeline for this was given but he said tourism authorities, airlines and companies were continuously reviewing the current global situation and drawing up plans to revive tourism "to go back to normal life and hosting tourists as we did before the crisis."