Coronavirus: recoveries outstrip UAE's new cases for first time in seven weeks

Active cases fell for the first time in two weeks to 23,785 as 1,611 patients recovered

A sign at a public beach in Dubai urging people to follow Covid-19 distancing rules. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Participants seated adhering to social-distancing rules during an event at Dubai Knowledge Park, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

An employee brings drinks to customers at Cafe Society in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

An employee disinfects a table before welcoming customers in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

An employee checks a customer's temperature at Cafe Society in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Visitors to Reform Athletica yoga studio in Dubai perform their exercises with their masks on. Chris Whiteoak / The National

An employee waits to measure customers' temperatures at Cafe Society in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A cordoned off swing along the Abu Dhabi corniche amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Victor Besa / The National

A signboard on Covid-19 precautionary measures at Umm Al Emarat Park, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

The UAE reported an additional 1,226 cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday, raising the number of infections to 195,878.

Recoveries passed 1,000 for the first time since November 5 with 1,611 patients cleared of the virus on Tuesday.

It was also the first time in seven weeks that the number of daily recoveries outstripped new infections. This took the country's total recovery tally to 171,451.

Three patients died of related complications, increasing the death toll to 642.

The number of active cases is 23,785 – a decrease in the number of people with the virus for the first time in two weeks. Before Tuesday, active cases had risen steadily since November 4, when 1,822 people received positive Covid-19 diagnoses.

Tuesday's new cases were detected after a further 140,051 tests were carried out over the past 24 hours.

The country's mass screening strategy has performed more than 19.6 million tests since the outbreak – among the world's highest per capita.

Of those tests, a little under 1 per cent were positive for Covid-19. And of the total infections, 87.5 per cent ended in recovery.

The UAE's coronavirus death rate is 0.3 per cent – one of the lowest in the world.

A voluntary, free vaccination campaign is under way to inoculate residents and Emiratis against the virus.

Developed by Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinopharm, the vaccine uses a killed version of the virus to prompt an immune response from its recipient. It is administered in two doses over 28 days and is 86 per cent effective, according to UAE regulators.

It is available at all clinics run by Abu Dhabi's public health operator, Seha, and at hospitals run by the private company VPS Healthcare. NMC Healthcare is also offering the vaccine at 11 hospitals in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.

In Dubai, residents can get the vaccine at Dubai Parks and Resorts field hospital near Jebel Ali.