UAE daily coronavirus cases surge to near peak level as 931 new cases reported

Members of medical staff wearing protective equipment intake patients to be tested for Covid-19 at the Cleveland Clinic hospital in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (File/Reuters)

• Total number of infected cases has reached 77,842, no deaths reported
• Kuwait records one death and 653 new infected cases

DUBAI: The UAE on Friday recorded 931 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number to 77,842, the health ministry said, following a recent surge in infections that are near the highest since the pandemic broke out.
All the cases, who bare various nationalities, are in “stable (condition) and subject to the necessary health care,” it added in a statement on WAM.
Until last month, there had been a generally falling trend since the UAE’s new daily cases peaked at 994 in May, but numbers have surged from 164 cases on Aug. 3.
The ministry said that 517 new cases have “fully recovered from the symptoms of the virus after receiving the necessary health care upon entering hospital, bringing the total number of recovery cases to 68,462.”
The Ministry of Health and Prevention also said that no deaths have been recorded over the past 24 hours. The UAE has recorded 398 deaths from coronavirus since the pandemic began.
The ministry launched a campaign to increase the scope of examinations in the country for early detection and to be able to count the number of cases infected with Covid-19, in order to isolate them and those whom they have been in contact with.
It said that it conducted 75,177 new examinations over the past 24 hours on various groups, using the best and latest medical examination techniques.
A health ministry official on Thursday asked the public to adhere to social distancing and avoid gatherings and mixing with people known to have the virus, which she said accounted for about 88% of cases.
The UAE had earlier enforced strict measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, including locking down tourism hub Dubai for a month and months-long evening curfews nationwide.
Most business and public venues have now reopened with some restrictions, and people must wear a mask outside homes.
Dubai reopened to foreign visitors in July, although airports in the rest of the country remain closed to visitors.
Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital and the largest and richest emirate, has restricted movement into the area to those with a negative Covid-19 test.
Meanwhile, Kuwait on Friday reported one death and 653 new infected cases, bringing the total number to 557 and 93,475 respectively.
The Ministry of Health said that 620 cases have recovered bringing the total to 83,660.
The ministry’s spokesperson, Dr. Abdullah Al-Sanad, renewed the call for everyone to continue adopting all preventive measures, avoiding mixing with others, implement the social distancing rule, and keep reviewing the ministry’s instructions and recommendations to contain the spread of the virus, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported.
The coronavirus pandemic has affected over 28 million people globally and the death rate has topped 900,000.
(With Reuters)