Coronavirus: UAE builds new medical facility to prepare against threat

The country's health minister said the site would be positioned away from residential areas

A Civil Defense member wearing protective suits sprays disinfectant as a precaution against the coronavirus in the closed shops, and hotels in Najaf, Iraq. AP

Members of the medical team check the temperature of Iraqi men, following the coronavirus outbreak, at the entrance checkpoint of South Mosul, Iraq. Reuters

Iraqi health officials and Civil Defense staff wearing protective suits spray disinfectant as a precaution against the coronavirus in the commercial markets in Najaf, Iraq, AP

An Iranian woman wearing face mask sits in a bus on a street of Tehran, Iran According to the Ministry of Health, 139 people diagnosed with the Covid-19 coronavirus. EPA

Iranian women wearing face masks walk on a street of Tehran, Iran. According to the Ministry of Health, 139 people diagnosed with the Covid-19. EPA

People wearing protective masks are seen on a street in the centre of the Bahraini capital Manama. AFP

A bus conductor wearing a surgical mask stands in front of a bus station in the Bahraini capital Manama. AFP

Kuwaiti kids wear protective face masks, following the outbreak of coronavirus, during celebrations of the 29th Kuwait Liberation Day. Reuters

A girl wears a mask as anti-government protesters carry banners and shout slogans during a protest in front of the Lebanese Ministry of Health under the slogan 'Our life is not a toy in your hands' in Beirut, Lebanon. EPA

People wearing wearing protective masks walk out of the El-Kettar hospital in the Algerian capital Algiers. AFP

Anti-government protesters carry banners read in Arabic, 'You are the coronavirus, you are the epidemic during a protest in front of the Lebanese Ministry of Health. EPA

Medics walk outside a clinic where the flight crew as well as several people who were in contact with an Italian man who tested positive for COVID-19 in Algeria. AP

A health worker takes the temperature of a man, who returned from Afghanistan, for a medical observation as a preventive measure following the coronavirus outbreak, crossing point at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border town. Reuters

A volunteers (L) hands out free facemasks to people as a preventive measure against the spread of the coronavirus, in Herat city. AFP

Chinese women wear protective masks as they eat dinner at an open restaurant in Beijing, China. Getty

A Chinese security guard wears a protective mask as he checks the temperature of people entering a residential building in Beijing, China. Getty

A worker inspects a protective mask on the production line at the Mask Factory Co. facility in Hong Kong, China. Bloomberg

A resident of Jongno-Gu wearing a face mask sprays disinfectant as a precaution against the coronavirus at the Jogyesa Buddhist temple in Seoul, South Korea. AP

A South Korean soldier wearing a protective suit sprays disinfectant to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 on a street in Daegu, South Korea. AP

A tourist looks on from her balcony at a hotel that was put in quarantine due to a coronavirus infection, in Adeje, Tenerife, Spain. EPA

A woman looks out of a window at the H10 Costa Adeje Palace hotel in La Caleta, in the Canary Island of Tenerife, Spain. AP

Passengers of the public transport wear a protective mask in Milan, Italy due to coronavirus outbreak. Getty

Civil protection and health workers who wear protective suits and health masks deliver the evening meal at a hotel in Alassio where 34 people are in quarantine. EPA

Workers wearing protective suits walk before they spray disinfectant as a precaution against the COVID-19 at a market in Seoul, South Korea, AP

UAE authorities are building a new medical facility to help treat Covid-19 infections should the virus spread to become a “global emergency”.

Senior health officials said the site would provide all the necessary equipment and medical expertise to treat patients over a 14-day quarantine period.

In a tweet from the government’s communication office, Abdulrahman Al Owais, the Minister of Health and Prevention, said there was no need to panic.

He said authorities had all the necessary technical and logistical preparations in hand, and would tackle suspected cases of the virus with “firm procedures”.

Mr Al Owais spoke as cases of Covid-19 appeared to continue to gain a foothold both in the region and globally.

On Wednesday, new infections were reported in Iran, Kuwait and Bahrain. The total number of cases in the Middle East is now thought to be about 200.

Around the world, health experts believe more than 82,000 people have been infected with the virus.

Of those, 32,878 have fully recovered while there have been 2,804 deaths. More than 46,000 people remain infected.

The World Health Organisation has called the ongoing outbreak a public health emergency, but has so far stopped short of calling it a pandemic.

China, where the outbreak started in late December, remains the worst affected country, with almost 78,500 cases.

However, new infections are soaring elsewhere, including in South Korea, which had 1,595 cases on Thursday, an increase of 334 in one day.

The fast spread of the virus in Iran has prompted health experts to suggest the Middle East was the new battleground in the war against its spread.

Iran confirmed 139 infections and 19 deaths on Thursday, with many cases of the virus emerging elsewhere in the region being traced back to the country.

On Thursday, Saudi Arabia also announced it would introduce a temporary ban on religious visits to the country.

Meanwhile, in the UAE, there remain 13 confirmed cases of Covid-19, the first four of which were detected in late January.

Doctors have said the recovery rate of the virus is slow. Most patients are better within two weeks, but particularly bad infections can last up to six weeks.

Earlier, a UAE official from the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority said the country had no plans to cancel public events or close schools, businesses or institutions due to the coronavirus.

Speaking to Reuters, the official said the Emirates was “well prepared and equipped” for the “worst-case scenario”.

The official added that authorities was closely monitoring the spread of the virus in other countries, and that relevant departments had been instructed to undertake “complete surveillance” of travellers entering the UAE.