Coronavirus: UAE records 603 cases as 1,277 more patients recover

Officials conducted a further 47,000 tests as one patient died after contracting Covid-19

People wearing face mask buy fruits and vegetables at the Al Awir fruit and vegetable market during a hot and humid day in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

People have lunch at Cafe Isan in JLT on a sunny day in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Safety measures put in place at Guru Nanak Darbar Sikh temple in Dubai as places of worship hope to reopen soon. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Guru Nanak Darbar Sikh temple in Dubai has put in place safety measures awaiting instructions from authorities to reopen. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Security guard checks the temperature of a visitor at the Al Awir fruit and vegetable market during a hot and humid day in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

A chef prepares freshly roasted chicken wearing a face mask and gloves at Nightjar Coffee in Al Serkal Avenue, Al Quoz, to comply with health and safety measures put in place by Dubai Municipality. Antonie Robertson / The National

A staff at Nightjar Coffee in Al Serkal Avenue, Al Quoz, makes coffee as restaurants are allowed to open after complying with strict procedures put in place by Dubai Municipality. Antonie Robertson / The National

A woman wearing a face mask walks past art work depicting Emirati boys playing in Al Satwa area in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

A worker cleans signs outside an Emirates NBD branch on Al Wasl road in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

People wear protective face masks while waiting for the bus in Al Satwa area of Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Pedestrians wear protective face masks in Dubai's Al Satwa area. Pawan Singh / The National

Rami, a jeweller, cleans a ring in a Dubai store. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Mohamed Hawas Al Sadid, chief executive of the Ambulatory Healthcare Services checks the Covid-19 assessment center at ADNEC in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Staff at the Nightjar Coffee cafe in Al Serkal Avenue, Dubai follow strict procedures to ensure health and safety measures put in place by Dubai Municipality. Antonie Robertson / The National

The UAE recorded a further 603 coronavirus cases on Wednesday, bringing the country's total to 40,507.

The new infections were identified after more than 47,000 new Covid-19 tests were conducted.

Another 1,277 people have recovered from the virus as this tally moved to 24,017.

Health officials confirmed one more patient had died as the country's death toll rose to 284.

Dr Amna Al Shamsi, a spokeswoman for the UAE government, said it was still unclear when the country would be able to fully return to normality.

Dr Al Shamsi said officials could not yet indicate if the end of the pandemic was in sight.

"Some of the positive indicators that we monitor within the daily conditions of Covid-19 in the country do not necessarily mean the end of the pandemic, or the beginning of the decline phase, and certainly does not mean a return to the full exercise of our natural life," she said.

"At the current stage it is difficult to make any predictions or results for a satisfactory future in the country. W need a longer period of monitoring and analysis."

Dr Fatima Al Kaabi, of Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi, said a new stem cell treatment recently introduced in the UAE proved successful.

"The initial results of stem cell therapy are promising, and 73 patients with moderate to severe symptoms were tested, all of whom responded well to treatment," Dr Al Kaabi said.

"Patients who received stem cell therapy showed clinical improvement within four days of treatment, while patients who received conventional treatment took eight days to show similar results."

Dr Farida Al Hosani, spokeswoman for the UAE health sector, repeated the need for people required to wear glove for long periods of time, such as supermarket workers and restaurant staff, to replace them at regular intervals and use hand sanitisers often.

Residents aged 60 and over are still barred from shopping malls, despite them now operating at full capacity.

Dr Al Hosani said those members of the public at higher risk to needed to strictly adhere to physical distancing measures and stay away from public places.