Coronavirus: UAE residents warned of 'extreme' danger of complacency in fight against virus

The UAE’s death rate fell to 0.3 per cent in the past week but officials have urged the public not to let their guard down

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  Covid-19 safety measures are in place at Times Square Centre in Dubai. All pictures by Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  A security guard monitors visitors' temperatures at Times Square Centre in Dubai

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  Visitors to the shopping mall are asked to obey social distancing rules

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  A member of staff sports a face mask as he cleans at the Al Quoz venue

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  Hand sanitiser units are positioned in the shopping mall

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  A security guard wearing a mask looks over Times Square Centre, off Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai

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  Safety signs are on display all over the mall

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  A member of staff cleans at Times Square Centre in Dubai

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  Masks on sale in Satwa, Dubai.

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  A man gets his delivery ready in Satwa, Dubai

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  A cyclist wears a face mask in Satwa

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  Two traders wear face masks at their stall in Satwa

UAE residents have been warned of the dangerous implications of underestimating the importance of Covid-19 safety measures and told to remain committed to the country’s fight against the virus.

Dr Omar Al Hammadi, an official government spokesman, issued the rallying call after revealing the country’s coronavirus death rate had fallen to 0.3 per cent in the past week, among the lowest in the world.

Despite the encouraging statistics, he reiterated that the public cannot afford to let their guard down and must continue to act responsibly.

He emphasised the importance of wearing masks, particularly for those suffering from chronic lung diseases.

“Underestimating preventive measures and being lenient is extremely dangerous, so let us support the efforts of our country with our awareness and commitment to preventive measures to curb this epidemic,” Dr Al Hammadi said in a regular media briefing.

During the update it was announced that the UAE had recorded 8,688 Covid-19 infections from 791,739 tests between December 2 and 8.

“The death rate during this period was 0.3 per cent, which is the lowest in the world compared with all of the European Union, the Middle East and North Africa and the countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development,” Dr Al Hammadi said.

The official said pregnant women should take steps to bolster their general health.

“Pregnant women are not within the most vulnerable groups to develop complications according to the available data and studies, and Covid-19 does not pose a threat to them, their foetus or newborn child,” he said.

“We advise pregnant women to exercise caution, follow precautionary measures and take vitamins and supplements according to the instructions of doctors.

“They should eat a balanced diet that boosts their immunity while continuing physical exercise.”

Dr Al Hammadi allayed concerns over the safety of wearing masks for long periods but said they could hamper those involved in intense exercise.

Authorities permit members of the public to take off masks during rigorous exercise.

“Wearing a mask for a long time does not cause a decrease in the percentage of oxygen inside the body, nor does it cause a toxic accumulation of carbon dioxide gas as long as the mask is properly used and allows normal breathing,” he said.

“A study monitoring oxygen level in the blood of those suffering from respiratory problems, revealed that wearing masks does not affect the levels of oxygen or carbon dioxide during long periods of rest and short walks.

“We note that wearing a mask during exercise, especially [of] high intensity, may affect a person’s ability to breathe normally and may cause difficulty breathing with the accumulation of carbon dioxide gas inside the mask.”

On Tuesday, the UAE reported 1,260 new cases of Covid-19, raising the number of infections to 178,837.

Daily cases have exceeded 1,000 for the past seven weeks, with 1,578 being the highest number of infections reported in one day, October 22.

The number of active cases now stands at 17,946 after falling to as low as 1,822 on November 4.