Coronavirus: UAE reports 239 new Covid-19 cases, 354 recoveries, 1 death

The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention on Thursday reported 239 cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus, along with 354 recoveries.

One death was also reported.

More than 50,000 new Covid-19 tests have been carried out over the last 24 hours, the ministry added.

In a statement, the ministry affirmed its aim to continue expanding the scope of testing nationwide to facilitate the early detection of coronavirus cases and carry out the necessary treatment. As part of its intensified testing campaign, a new Covid-19 testing area has been set up in Sharjah to screen residents for free. The centre will continue to provide free tests every day from 1pm to 9pm until Saturday. The team combed through neighbourhoods to offer the free screenings. For each residential area, the process was carried out for 10 days, testing 200 people per day. Two days before the schedule, residents received a message from the police, explaining where and when they can go to get screened. Other emirates, such as Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah, rolled out similar mass testing initiatives.

Meanwhile, residents across the country may now volunteer for the ongoing Covid-19 vaccine trial, as the ministry of sets up a second screening and vaccination centre in Sharjah. Set to run daily from 8am to 8pm, Al Qarayen Health Centre can accommodate over 500 volunteers a day and it is open to residents from Sharjah, Dubai and the Northern Emirates. Residents will be able to register, get screened, and receive the shot at the site all on the same day.

The vaccine being trialled in the country is the world's first inactivated Covid-19 vaccine that entered the third and final stage of the process. During the first and second stage of trials carried out in China, 100 per cent of volunteers generated Covid-19 antibodies after two doses in 28 days. In the UAE, the Phase 3 clinical trials officially started on July 16, with thousands of people registering for the programme through the website 4humanity.ae. Though the target number of volunteers for the trial was placed at 15,000, health authorities have reported that as many as 10,000 have signed up just a few days after the programme's launch. While the trials were initially opened to residents in the Capital, authorities had been working to make the programme available to everyone in the country since last month.

As part of its efforts to fight the spread of Covid-19, Abu Dhabi has carried out a total of 365,000 hours of sterilisation. Equipped with high-tech tools including self-driving robots, more than 1,182 workers and engineers worked together to sanitise a stretch of 23,000km. More than 48,000 vehicles, including over 6,000 taxis and 627 buses, were also sterilised to transport Covid-19 patients. To raise awareness, the municipality has spread out 566 informative posters at workers accommodations.