Coronavirus: UAE records 635 new cases of Covid-19 after 30,000 more tests

They say anyone caught breaching safety measures will be fined

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Another 635 cases of the coronavirus were detected across the UAE on Monday after 30,147 tests were carried out.

The infections brought the country’s total to 35,192. Authorities also announced 406 new recoveries, meaning 18,338 people have beaten the virus.

Two patients succumbed to Covid-19, as a result of complications, which raised the UAE’s death toll to 266. The country now has 16,588 live cases, authorities said.

More than two million people have been tested for the virus across the country since the first cases of Covid-19 were reported in the Emirates in late January.

On Monday, Dr Amna Al Dhahak, the health spokeswoman for the UAE government, said 650,000 tests were carried out across the country in the past two weeks.

The tests were part of an early-detection strategy to quickly isolate and treat confirmed cases before more people can be infected.

Dr Al Dhahak said the UAE had entered an important stage with the resumption of economic activity, but people's health was still of utmost importance.

“We are still at a time that requires our full commitment to precautionary measures taken to curb the spread of Covid-19," she said.

"We urge everyone, citizens and residents, to continue health practices."

Dr Al Dhahak said everyone had an obligation to protect people in at-risk groups, including seniors and those with chronic illnesses.

“We urge the public to follow health advice and pay attention to groups at higher risk, particularly the elderly," she said.

"While we should continue to abide by social distancing for their health and safety, we need to look after their psychological and emotional well-being.”

Dr Al Dhahak also responded to comments on social media criticising the reopening of hotel beaches and increased capacity limits on shopping malls.

She said strict precautionary measures were still in place to ensure visitors were safe.

“We would like to highlight that preventive measures are in place, including penalties that will be imposed on everyone, whether Emiratis or residents, if needed.

"There is no difference between a citizen and a resident, and we are all sons of one country."

Dr Al Dhahak said caution was still needed in public places.

“The most dangerous thing now is to be lax, because we will undo the work of medical workers and we should co-operate with the measures to keep everyone safe,” she said.

This week, Abu Dhabi said it would seal its borders to motorists for a week starting on Tuesday to prevent the spread of the virus.

The restriction on movement includes any travel between the emirate’s regions – Al Ain, Al Dhafra and Abu Dhabi – and will enable mass testing in densely populated districts of the capital.