Coronavirus: UAE ranked in global top ten for Covid-19 treatment, report finds

The survey by the Deep Knowledge Group, a consortium of technology companies and non-profit organisations, ranked the UAE in 10th place internationally

Volunteers can play their part in helping the UAE contain the spread of Covid-19. Courtesy: AFP

The UAE is among the top 10 countries in the world for coronavirus treatment, according to a global ranking.

The survey, by the Deep Knowledge Group, a consortium of technology companies and non-profit organisations, considered 200 data points for each country to compile the list, which placed Germany, China, South Korea, Austria and Hong Kong in the top five.

Next was Singapore, Taiwan, Israel and Japan, with the UAE in 10th place.

The ‘Covid-19 Treatment Efficiency Ranking Framework’ assesses countries based on the sophistication and effectiveness  of efforts to monitor the spread of the virus, treatment of patients, in addition to the capacity to develop, test, validate and deploy experimental vaccines and treatments.

The data came from sources including the World Health Organisation, Johns Hopkins University, in addition to overall economic and technological development.

The UAE has registered 5,365 confirmed cases of coronavirus, 1,034 recoveries and 33 deaths, a relatively small number in comparison to many other countries globally, including the UK, which has almost 100,000 cases and close to 13,000 deaths.

The Emirates took early steps to contain the virus, including placing controls on flight arrivals from the hardest-hit hit countries, combined with rigorous and extensive testing and contact tracing of cases.

It also made masks and gloves compulsory in public, which experts think could help contain the spread of the virus as studies show people are most infectious before they show symptoms.

The country has carried out roughly 767,000 tests since recording its first cases in late January and has set up 13 drive-through testing centres.

Last week the UAE announced it had begun using plasma treatment for the sickest coronavirus patients.

The method siphons blood from survivors, which is rich in antibodies their bodies made to fight the virus, and gives it to someone still suffering from it.

“We are still waiting for the results of this treatment and we are optimistic that it will be promising," said Dr Fatima Al Kaabi, head of haematology and oncology at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City. "We expect the patient’s condition to improve soon."

Dr Farida Al Hosani, spokeswoman for the UAE's health sector, said the UAE was leaving no stone unturned to identify the best treatments and research studies to assist patients in their recovery.

In a separate Deep Knowledge Group ranking for the safest countries across the world from the pandemic, the UAE came in 18th place.

Israel, which has more than 12,500 cases and 130 deaths, was first, with Germany, South Korea, Australia and China rounding out the rest of the top five.

It assess which countries’ citizens have the lowest likelihoods of being infected and the highest chance of recovering from the virus.

There have now been more than 2 million confirmed cases across the world and upwards of 134,000 deaths.