Coronavirus: UAE detects 262 new cases of Covid-19

At least 90 per cent of the total cases recorded since January have ended in recovery

Yas Waterworld in Abu Dhabi reopened in August last year after a five-month closure. Victor Besa / The National

People fish using social distancing precautions by Business Bay Bridge in Dubai. Reem Mohammed / The National

Volunteers for the Covid-19 vaccine trial wait to be screened at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre in August 2020. Victor Besa / The National

A man buys balloons at Al Wahda Mall in Abu Dhabi. All shops and malls have safety measures in place to protect shoppers and staff. Victor Besa / The National

Shoppers maintain physical distancing and wear face masks at Al Wahda Mall. Victor Besa / The National

A shopper looks at face masks at Lulu Hypermarket, Khalidiyah Mall, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Volunteers for the Covid-19 vaccine trial wait to be screened at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre in August 2020. Victor Besa / The National

A sign reminds people visiting The Pointe shopping centre on The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, to wear face masks. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Dubai residents wear face masks during their evening walk in The Gardens. Pawan Singh / The National

Socially distanced maghrib prayers in Al Khair Masjid in Dubai in July 2020. Reem Mohammed / The National

Visitors to Al Wahda Mall wear face masks. Victor Besa / The National

An additional 262 new cases of Covid-19 were identified across the UAE on Tuesday.

The infections were detected as 64,110 tests were conducted.

The new cases brought the country's total to 62,966 since the outbreak.

Another 195 patients beat the virus, taking the recovery tally to 56,961.

And one patient died, raising the death toll to 358.

Since the UAE recorded its first infections in late may, at least 90 per cent of the cases have ended in recovery.

The Emirates is among the top countries for testing per capita with more than 5.6 million conducted.

On Monday, during the country's regular briefing, officials encouraged Emiratis and residents to take part in a clinical trial for a Covid-19 vaccine.

At least 15,000 are needed to complete Phase 3 of the trial.

The first two phases were successfully carried out in China, where the vaccine was developed by pharmaceutical company Sinopharm.

The UAE is involved through a tie-up with Abu Dhabi company G42 Healthcare.

To widen the pool for volunteers, a facility was set up in Bahrain this week.

More than 100 possible vaccines are being developed around the world to try to stop the Covid-19 pandemic. At least four are in final Phase 3 human trials, according to data from the World Health Organisation.

The world has now recorded more than 20 million cases and almost 750,000 deaths but it is not too late to take action to suppress Covid-19, WHO said.

"Behind these statistics is a great deal of pain and suffering. Every life lost matters. I know many of you are grieving and that this is a difficult moment for the world," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

"But I want to be clear: there are green shoots of hope and... it's never too late to turn the outbreak around."