UAE records lowest number of Covid-19 cases in two weeks

Another 1,837 infections were reported on Monday as 1,811 people recovered

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  People walk around in the Al Karama area of Dubai as life in the UAE beings to resemble pre-pandemic times. All photos: Pawan Singh / The National

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  The country has got to grips with curbing the spread of Covid-19.

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  The UAE registered its lowest daily tally of new Covid-19 infections in 20 months.

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  More than 100 million coronavirus tests have been conducted in the UAE to date.

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  People wearing masks are out shopping in the Al Karama area of Dubai.

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  The UAE's extensive vaccination campaign has been widely credited with helping to drive down case numbers.

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  New daily cases have remained below 100 for five weeks.

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  Authorities confirmed last week that 100 per cent of the eligible population had now received at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose.

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  More than 90 per cent of the UAE population are fully vaccinated.

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  A masked worker pushes a trolley laden with water bottles in the Al Karama area of Dubai.

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  Social distancing stickers pasted at a bus stop serve as a warning to travellers in Dubai.

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  People shopping in the Al Karama area of Dubai.

The UAE reported 1,837 Covid-19 cases on Monday, its lowest number of infections this month.

Daily case figures remained below 2,000 for the second day in a row.

The country has recorded 599,823 cases since the pandemic began.

A further 1,811 people overcame the virus, taking the total number of recoveries to 579,045.

Four more patients died, and the toll rose to 1,730.

The number of active cases in the country stands at 19,048.

The daily numbers were the lowest since May 31, when 1,763 positive tests were announced.

The latest cases were detected as a result of 237,439 tests.

The UAE has conducted more than 53.5 million PCR tests to date.

On Monday, the health ministry said 39,636 vaccine doses were administered in the preceding 24 hours. A total of 13,848,062 doses have been given across the country

Authorities confirmed the lowest number of daily infections of the year on May 17 – at 1,229.

Case numbers exceeded 2,000 on eight of the first 14 days of June, including a five-day streak from June 8 to 13.

Testing rates have also remained consistently high during the month, however.

The number of daily PCR tests conducted daily exceeded 200,000 every day in June, hitting a peak of 254,412 on June 9.

Mass testing and a comprehensive vaccination drive remain central to the UAE's efforts to contain the coronavirus.

A negative PCR test result is required to enter Abu Dhabi from other emirates.

Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi will introduce its green pass initiative on Tuesday, in which a negative PCR test result will be needed to enter some public venues.

The UAE introduced a nationwide immunisation drive in December.

Six months on, the number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered is approaching 14 million.

The country has led the way for global vaccination rates alongside Israel in recent months.

It was revealed this week that two thirds of eligible Dubai residents have now received both doses of a coronavirus vaccine.

Dr Alawi Al Sheikh Ali, deputy director general of the Dubai Health Authority, said 83 per cent of the eligible population had received a first dose and 64 per cent obtained the second.

He said people who had not received the vaccine were more likely to suffer severe Covid-19 symptoms.