Coronavirus: UAE records lowest number of Covid-19 cases for three weeks

The figure came against lower nationwide testing

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The UAE recorded 1,065 Covid-19 cases on Monday, its lowest daily tally in three weeks, but against lower testing figures.

81,558 tests were conducted during the 24-hour reporting period, lower than the usual 100,000 plus-tests.

The latest infections raised the country's overall tally to 160,055.

A further 707 patients were given the all-clear, pushing the number of recoveries to date to 149,578.

The death toll in the Emirates is 554 after two more patients died.

Authorities have carried out more than 15.8 million tests since the outbreak began.

Mass screening remains key to the UAE's efforts to contain the spread of the virus.

This week, Dubai Health Authority launched a saliva test alternative to the commonly used nasal swab to be used by children between 3 and 16.

The UAE also slashed the cost of PCR tests in recent months and increased ways for people to be screened, including at drive-through centres and malls.

New daily infections were above 1,000 since October 19, but Monday's numbers are the lowest since November 3 when 1,008 infections were reported.

The number of active cases in the Emirates has risen to 9,923.

In the past seven days, the UAE reported 8,501 cases at an average of 1,214 each day.

During the same period, 5,646 patients recovered, a daily average of 806.

As of Monday, more than 59 million Covid-19 cases have been confirmed across the globe.

Close to 1.4 million people died after being infected with the virus, while the recovery total is approaching 41 million.

The six countries of the Gulf Co-operation Council recorded more than a million cases of Covid-19 infection to date, according to a Reuters tally of data published by each government.

On Monday, the totals stood at 1,000,845 infections, with 9,160 deaths.