https://arab.news/8qpya
- UAE confirms. 2,948 new coronavirus cases and 12 deaths in the previous 24 hours
- Kuwait records 635 cases, Bahrain reports 431 cases and 3 deaths
LONDON: The UAE on Sunday recorded less than 3,000 new COVID-19 cases for the first time since Jan. 12.
The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) said there had been 2,948 new coronavirus infections and 12 deaths in the previous 24 hours.
The figures represented a marked drop from the 3,647 cases announced Saturday and 3,962 cases on Friday, amid hope that a sharp increase since the end of December had reached its peak.
Officials from the MoHAP said the total number of cases since the pandemic began had reached 303,609, while the death toll rose to 850.
It also said that 4,189 people had recovered from the virus over the past 24 hours. The total number of recoveries is 276,958.
The new figures come as the Emirates races ahead with its inoculation campaign.
Some 220,000 vaccines were administered in one day — the highest figure since the launch of the drive.
Health minister Abdul Rahman Al-Owais praised the efforts of the authorities and front line workers. The country aims to immunize half of the UAE’s population of 10 million by April.
The ministry said it had vaccinated over 3.185 million people, at a rate of 32.21 doses per 100 people, making it the second fastest country in the world after Israel for vaccine rollout.
In a boost to the campaign, Dubai Health Authority said it would begin providing the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine to those aged 60 and above, starting on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Dubai Police called on the public to report coronavirus violations as the emirate seeks to strengthen precautionary measures.
Two shops in the emirate were closed and 26 others fined for not adhering to anti-coronavirus measures.
A fitness center was also ordered to close and warnings issued to 34 businesses, the municipality said.
Dubai Tourism also said it closed 23 establishments and fined 238 others during January.
Elsewhere in the Gulf, Kuwait reported 635 new cases of COVID-19, raising the total in the country to 165,257. The death toll remained 959 after no additional deaths were reported.
Oman’s Health Ministry said that its total number of cases had reached 134,326 and the death toll was 1,529.
In Bahrain the death toll stands at 375 after three new deaths were reported. The number of confirmed cases in the country increased by 431.