UAE reports 1,538 new infections, joint highest daily number to date

Another 105,740 tests were carried out in the past 24 hours

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  Commuters wait for their bus outside the airconditioned bus stop along al Falah Street in central Abu Dhabi on a Friday afternoon All photos by. All photos by Victor Besa /The National

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  Mustaffa, eleven, waits for his bread to be baked with his uncle Abdul Qader outside the Naser Bader Bakery.

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  Abdul Rahman has been working at Naser Bader Bakery along Al Falah Street, Abu Dhabi for almost five years now.

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  The new air-conditioned bus stops around Abu Dhabi with Covid-19 restrictions.

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  Pedestrians cross the street at central Abu Dhabi on Friday afternoon.

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  Commuters get off the bus at Abu Dhabi on a Friday afternoon.

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  Commuters get off the bus at Abu Dhabi on a Friday afternoon.

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  E-scooter riders along Al Falah Street in central Abu Dhabi on a Friday afternoon.

The UAE reported 1,538 new cases of Covid-19 on Wednesday.

This is the joint highest number of daily cases reported to date, with the same number of cases recorded on October 17.

The total tally of infections now stands at 119,132.

There were 1,501 new recoveries during the past 24 hours and the total number of patients who beat the virus is 111,814.

The Emirates carried out 105,740 additional tests in the past 24 hours.

The officials reported two deaths, pushing the number of mortalities to 472.

There are 6,846 active cases in the country.

Health officials said the recent increase in the number of cases was expected keeping in line with the trends seen across the world.

Dr Farida Al Hosani, a director of the Department of Health Abu Dhabi, said the increase in cases is expected to continue as countries attempt to fully resume activities.

"The noticeable increase in the number of infections in the country is not an exception, and it is part of an increase in most countries," Dr Al Hosani said during the country's regular media briefing on Tuesday.

"This increase is expected to continue in the next phase."

She said UAE's rising cases were part of a "global pattern of trying to gradually return to normal life and the return of activities in various sectors".

The rate of positive cases is just 1 per cent when compared to the tests carried out in the country. Recoveries have also outweighed new cases with an increase by 9 per cent in the past week.

Globally, coronavirus cases have passed 40.7 million, with many countries reporting record-high numbers over past weeks.

The world death toll has passed 1.1 million and there have been more than 27.8 million recoveries.

The spead of the virus is expected to come down once the Covid-19 vaccine is rolled out for the public.

Nearly 60,000 people have already been injected with the Chinese-developed vaccines in worldwide clinical trials, with no reports of severe adverse reactions, a Chinese official told a press conference on Tuesday.

China is holding 13 clinical trials for Covid-19 vaccines, with four candidates in late stage phase 3 trials, being held across 10 countries, including the UAE.

In the UAE, 31,000 people have been recruited for clinical trials in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah to test two strains of the vaccine.