DUBAI: The UAE has announced its plan to conduct two million COVID-19 tests in the next two months, as part of the country’s extensive campaign to curb the spread of the virus.
Emirati spokesperson Dr. Amna Al-Dahhak Al-Shamsi said it was important to expand testing across the country for early detection and treatment.
Al-Shamsi said the government was working with all health institutions in the country to see the plan through, which includes mass testing of public-facing workers in both public and private sectors such as taxi drivers, hospitality workers, and those working in retail.
The UAE has recorded 528 new cases of the virus on Monday, bringing total infections to 52,068.
The spokesperson noted the increase of cases during the last weekend, and said it was due to negligence of people. She said irresponsible behavior could lead to the undoing of the country’s successes in fighting the pandemic.
She urged the public to fully comply with instructions issued by relevant authorities.
Meanwhile, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai said the return of flights to the city’s airports was a necessary move to support the hard-hit aviation sector.
GDRFA’s Director-General Mohammed Ahmed Al-Marri said the decision to allow flights was going to “herald a new phase of supporting economic activities” in the country.
There has been an increase in the number of passengers visiting Dubai since the lockdown was lifted, Deputy Director-General of Airports Affairs Talal Ahmed Al-Shanqeeti said, adding it represented a positive boost in the tourism sector.
