The UAE reported 930 new cases of Covid-19 on Thursday, the highest in four months, said health authorities.
The total tally of infections now stands at 76,911.
There were 586 new recoveries during the past 24 hours and the total number of patients who beat the virus is 67,945.
The Emirates carried out 82,076 additional tests in the past 24 hours.
The officials reported five deaths, pushing the number of mortalities to 398.
Health officials said the recent steep increase in the number of cases is because of the lax attitude of individuals and institutions who failed to abide by the safety protocols.
On August 10, we had only 179 new infections but in just a month, we have exceeded 900
“This is the highest number of cases in four months. On August 10, we had only 179 new infections but in just a month, we have exceeded 900,” said Dr Farida Al Hosani, the official spokeswoman for the health sector in the country.
“This is a five-fold increase and it requires us to do a self-assessment.”
The huge increase in daily infections is attributed to family gatherings, the return of residents and citizens from abroad, schools reopening and some supermarkets and commercial institutions not adhering to precautionary guidelines, she said.
Of the total cases reported in the past two weeks, 62 per cent are men and 38 per cent are women.
Of this total number, 88 per cent of people were infected due to family and social gatherings.
Reckless individuals who did not follow social distancing and failed to wear a face mask passed on the virus to hundreds others, said Dr Al Hosani.
Another 12 per cent of the cases were detected in Emiratis and residents who have returned to the UAE in the past two weeks.
“They were infected with the virus and took a PCR test abroad. Their results were negative and they showed first symptoms after reaching the UAE and did not follow the 14-day quarantine rule,” she said.
“Anyone who comes in contact with a Covid-19 patient must self isolate. A PCR test is not enough as the incubation period can reach up to 14 days. The PCR should be negative on the 14th day to step out.”
Another 10 per cent of the cases were recorded due to an early detection in school staff and pupils who have opted for face-to-face classes.
Dr Al Hosani said authorities will get stricter and increase inspections to catch those who flout rules.
The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority will carry out more inspections and will hold offenders accountable.
“Individuals and institutions will be fined based on the decision of the Attorney General,” she said.
“We all have to commit. Some people are not taking precautions seriously and are celebrating at home with guests. Any family that wants to celebrate should do so with a small number of members in line with the safety measures.
“Some malls and shops have also failed to take precautionary measures and exceeded the number of customers they should have.”
Dr Al Hosani said a few schools did not take the preventive measures set by The Ministry of Education.
Schools that report any infections must close for 14 days.
“Today, we must stand in solidarity and comply with all precautionary measures. We need all sectors to be part of this so that we can tide over this challenge,” she said.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Company name: Play:Date
Launched: March 2017 on UAE Mother’s Day
Founder: Shamim Kassibawi
Based: Dubai with operations in the UAE and US
Sector: Tech
Size: 20 employees
Stage of funding: Seed
Investors: Three founders (two silent co-founders) and one venture capital fund
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Arrogate's winning run
1. Maiden Special Weight, Santa Anita Park, June 5, 2016
2. Allowance Optional Claiming, Santa Anita Park, June 24, 2016
3. Allowance Optional Claiming, Del Mar, August 4, 2016
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5. Breeders' Cup Classic, Santa Anita Park, November 5, 2016
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The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
