More than 650,000 COVID-19 tests have been conducted in the UAE over the past two weeks as part of efforts to detect infections in the early stages itself.
The government’s official spokesperson, Dr. Amna Al Dahak Al Shamsi revealed the figures during a media briefing on Monday.
She said that since the beginning of the crisis, the government has been giving extra attention to the needs of the elderly and patients with chronic diseases.
Dr. Al Shamsi also reiterated that though restrictions are easing, we must continue to comply with the precautionary measures.
She added that the law does not differentiate between citizens and residents – and anyone who breaks the rules will be penalised.
Six hundred and thirty five new infections were confirmed on Monday, taking the total number of cases diagnosed in the UAE to 35,192.
Another 406 patients have recovered from the virus, while two more people have died - which means the number of active COVID-19 cases in the country currently stands at 16,588.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, fresh from a meeting with Russia's Vladimir Putin, said he hopes to discuss a Ukraine-Russia peace plan with US President Donald Trump, adding that "peace is not far away".
His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Serbia’s Foreign Minister Marko Đurić. have agreed to deepen political coordination after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during talks in Abu Dhabi.
The UAE has introduced changes to its laws governing the care of children of unknown parentage, expanding custody options and strengthening child protection measures.
UAE-backed medical teams have launched a series of humanitarian missions in rural Pakistan, providing free treatment for children and elderly patients with heart conditions.
Dubai authorities have begun final preparations for the New Year celebrations, holding a coordination meeting to review security and operational plans across the emirate.
The UAE's National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) says a surface low-pressure system will affect the country from December 13 to 19, bringing periods of instability.
Dubai Police have taken legal action against a man who set fire to a public road to celebrate his birthday, after a video of the incident circulated on social media.