Coronavirus: UAE infections drop below 1,900 as recoveries rise

Daily infections dipped again after falling to a two-month low on Sunday

A Palestinian man wearing a face mask walks past a mural of journalists killed in 2014 between Hamas and Israel, in Gaza City. AFP

A nurse prepares the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to give to an elderly man, at Al-Nozha Hospital in Cairo, Egypt. AP Photo

An Egyptian medical worker checks people's temperatures on the first day of vaccination against Covid-19 in Egypt, Cairo. AFP

A health worker collects a saliva sample from a man for a PCR coronavirus test at the Shurja market, in Baghdad, Iraq. AP Photo

A volunteer adjusts an oxygen cylinder, to be delivered to people who suffer from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and receive home care, in Damascus, Syria. Reuters

Susan Janet Crouch, a 71-year old woman from Britain living in Turkey, receives the first dose of Sinovac's CoronaVac coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine at a healthcare centre as nationwide vaccination continues for seniors, in the Mediterranean town of Side, in Antalya province, Turkey. Reuters

A medical worker administers a dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at the first drive-through vaccination centre in the Saudi capital Riyadh. AFP

People arrived to be vaccinated by the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health with the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine (Covishield) at al-Naseem vaccination centre, in al-Jahra governorate, 40 km north of Kuwait City. AFP

epa09050724 An elderly woman (C) reacts after receiving a shot of COVID-19 vaccine at a health centre in Qatameya, Egypt. EPA

The UAE recorded 1,898 Covid-19 infections on Monday, its lowest daily total since January 4.

The number of new cases remained below 2,000 for a second consecutive day.

It brought the country's overall tally since the outbreak to 428,295.

A further 2,438 patients were given the all-clear as the recovery total climbed to 408,085.

The number of active cases fell to 18,808 as recoveries outstripped new infections for the second day running.

Seven patients died, raising the toll across the Emirates to 1,402.

An additional 205,579 Covid-19 tests were carried out during the 24-hour reporting period.

To date, more than 34 million PCR and DPI tests have been conducted, making the UAE one of the top global testers per capita.

Daily testing rates have dipped below 200,000 only twice this month.

Mass screening and a nationwide vaccination drive remain central to the UAE's efforts to limit the spread of the virus.

Another 37,969 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine were administered across the country over the preceding 24 hours.

Daily doses have decreased over the past month after officials announced that vulnerable groups would be prioritised for a six-week period.

As a result, the UAE dropped a place to third, after Israel and the Seychelles, for the highest number of doses administered per 100 people.

At present, the UAE has a vaccination rate of 66.52 per 100 people, after administering a total of almost 6.6m doses.

The country has also clamped down on safety regulations in recent weeks to ensure people were adhering to measures.

Two sport establishments in Dubai were shut down at the weekend for repeatedly breaking Covid-19 safety rules, after a spot check by officials of the Dubai Sports Council, Dubai Economy and Dubai Municipality.

Inspectors also fined six other establishments for failing to maintain a safe distance between guests and for not following the guidelines on the use of face masks.

Meanwhile, the country is expanding its medical capacity by building seven field hospitals.

Ajman opened one on Sunday that has more than 200 beds to treat patients with moderate and serious cases of Covid-19.

The 7,000-square-metre facility has 48 intensive care beds and 156 beds for severe and moderate cases.

It is staffed by 75 doctors, 231 nurses and 44 technicians and assistant healthcare workers.