Coronavirus: UAE reports 281 new Covid-19 cases, 994 recoveries

The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention on Thursday reported 281 cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus, along with 994 recoveries.

The new cases were detected through additional 48,000 tests.

The UAE once again recorded no deaths in the past 24 hours.

In a milestone that vindicated the UAE's strategy, not a single Covid-19 death was also not reported in the country on Wednesday.

The total number of cases as on July 16 stands at 56,129 with 47,412 total recoveries. The death toll is 335.

Health experts have attributed the achievement to the outstanding crisis management and proactive steps taken by the country's leaders.

Mass testing, in particular, has been crucial in flattening the curve, doctors said. More than four million PCR tests have so far been carried out nationwide, with the UAE ranking first globally in the number of Covid-19 screenings done per capita.

Meanwhile, it was announced yesterday that the Dh50 Covid-19 test at Dubai-Abu Dhabi border is only for families for the time being. The new screening facility provides results in only five minutes.

It was also announced that Indian passengers travelling to Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah have different requirements when it comes to the validity of the Covid-19 test they take before travel. According to a Facebook post by Air India Express, for Indians travelling to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the PCR test can be taken up to 96 hours before departure. For expats travelling to Sharjah, the test should have been taken no later than 72 hours before departure. Furthermore, the test should be taken from a government-approved laboratory.