Coronavirus: Rise in Covid-19 cases was expected, health official says


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A rise in Covid-19 cases across the Emirates was expected as the global community continues efforts to combat the virus, a UAE health official said.

Dr Farida Al Hosani, a director of the Department of Health Abu Dhabi, stressed that the increase in cases is expected to continue as countries attempt to fully resume activities.

She said the launch of a Covid-19 vaccine would be crucial to stemming the spread of the pathogen.

Dr Al Hosani said the vaccine had three goals - to prevent new infections, stop the dangerous effects of the virus on patients and limit the spread of the virus from person to person.

It was announced last week that Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine will be tested in the UAE.

Phase-3 trials will be overseen by Abu Dhabi's public hospital operator Seha, the Ministry of Health and Prevention and the Department of Health Abu Dhabi.

The UAE was chosen as a partner for Chinese drug maker Sinopharm's Phase-3 trial in July.

"The noticeable increase in the number of infections in the country is not an exception, and it is part of an increase in most countries," Dr Al Hosani said during the country's regular media briefing on Tuesday.

"This increase is expected to continue in the next phase."

She said UAE's rising cases were part of a "global pattern of trying to gradually return to normal life and the return of activities in various sectors".

Dr Omar Al Hammadi, the official spokesman for the briefing, noted that the rate of positive cases from testing remained about 1 per cent. He added that recoveries have outweighed new cases with an increase by 9 per cent in the past week.

The seven-day average of infections nationwide had risen from about 1,100 to almost 1,400.

Health authorities carried out close to 770,000 tests during this time period.

Case numbers have remained above 1,000 for 18 of the 20 days in October, hitting a record high of 1,538 on Saturday.

Despite the rising daily figures, active cases have been slowly decreasing since October 4, when more than 10,200 people were battling Covid-19 across the Emirates.

The highest number of active cases reported was 17,173 on June 4.

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Stars: Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie 

Four out of five stars 

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

Why it pays to compare

A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.

Route 1: bank transfer

The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.

Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount

Total received: €4,670.30 

Route 2: online platform

The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.

Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction

Total received: €4,756

The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.

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  • In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
  • Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
  • Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.

Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.

Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.

Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.

Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.

Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.

Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.

Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.

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Rating: 3.5/5

The specs

Engine: 5.0-litre V8

Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm

Torque: 566Nm at 4,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: L/100km

Price: Dh306,495

On sale: now

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Engine 6.9-litre twin-turbo W12
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 626bhp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,350rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.0L / 100km

Seven tips from Emirates NBD

1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details

2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet

3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details

4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure

5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs  (one-time passwords) with third parties

6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies

7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately

The Breadwinner

Director: Nora Twomey

Starring: Saara Chaudry,  Soma Chhaya,  Laara Sadiq 

Three stars

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Uefa Champions League, Group B
Barcelona v Inter Milan
Camp Nou, Barcelona
Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)

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The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

Directed by: Craig Gillespie

Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry

4/5

THREE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The stats

Ship name: MSC Bellissima

Ship class: Meraviglia Class

Delivery date: February 27, 2019

Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT

Passenger capacity: 5,686

Crew members: 1,536

Number of cabins: 2,217

Length: 315.3 metres

Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)