UAE Reports 63 New COVID-19 Cases, Disinfection Programme Extended Until April 4: UAE Government

The UAE government has detected 63 new COVID-19 cases belonging to various nationalities, taking to 468 the total tally of infections in the UAE.

The announcement was made by the Ministry of Health and Prevention during a regular press briefing on Saturday, wherein Dr. Farida Al Hosani, the official spokesperson for the UAE health sector, highlighted the latest COVID-19 developments in the country and the measures taken by Emirati authorities to combat the spread of the pandemic.

Al Hosani added that the National Disinfection Programme has been extended until April 4. The sterilisation will be carried out daily from 8pm until 6am the following morning and restrictions will continue to cover public and private facilities, streets, public transportation, metro trains and trams.

The new cases, who are receiving all necessary medical treatment in UAE medical facilities, belong to various nationalities, including one from each of Kyrgyzstan, Somalia, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria; two from each of Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Nepal; three from each of Egypt; four from Britain; six from Pakistan; eight from UAE, and 30 people from India.

“Hundreds of personnel, supervisors and administrative staff from various federal and local government departments are participating in the National Disinfection Programme. Several regions and utilities have already been sterilized using state-of-the-art technology nationwide over several stages in collaboration with various relevant authorities,” she added.

“The decision to extend the sterilisation drive until April 5 aims to ensure coverage of the largest possible number of utilities and establishments nationwide. It will be carried out daily from 8pm until 6am the following morning , and restrictions in the movement of traffic will continue during the this period and resume as normal in daylight.”

Al Hosani hailed the concerted efforts and synergy witnessed across the country over the past two days toward the National Disinfection Programme.

” More than 70 percent of the UAE people, including Emiratis, residents and visitors, have remarkably committed themselves to the programme in a way that facilitated the efforts of the sterilization teams,” she added, thanking all UAE people, police and security departments, civil defence teams and municipalities for their efforts to ensure the success of the programme.

“We are all positive that all segments of society will commit more to staying at home during the sterilisation period in order to ensure more success for the programme.”

For his part, Dr Khalid Al Mazrouei, Assistant Undersecretary for Consular Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, reviewed during the briefing the efforts made by the ministry to ensure implementation of the precautionary measures involving COVID-19.

“The UAE has taken several precautionary and preventive measures inside and outside the country through our embassies and representative missions overseas. The Ministry urged the UAE citizens staying outside the country to follow the safety guidelines issued by their host countries and to register in Tawajudi service while keeping regular channels of communication with UAE embassies in their host countries and call the Ministry’s contact centre in case of necessity,” he noted.

“The Ministry has called upon all Emiratis overseas to steer clear of all regions and places plagued by the disease.”

As per the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the orders of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, a number of individuals from sisterly and friendly countries of the UAE were evacuated from China to the Emirates Humanitarian City,” Al Mazrouei said.

He added that people with valid UAE residence visas who are currently abroad can register for Tawajudi service through MoFAIC’s website, thus facilitating communication with them in case of emergency. The service can be accessed through the main page of the Ministry’s website, under Individuals Services.

“As countries across the globe are tightening travel restrictions to try to curb the spread of coronavirus, all UAE citizens abroad have been contacted to follow up on their conditions. And so far 34 operations have been completed to repatriate UAE citizens and their families,” he added, noting that the Ministry has also called upon Emirati citizens and students studying abroad to return to the country as soon as possible in coordination with UAE embassies overseas.

“Following the decision to repatriate all Emirati students within 48 hours, several students flew home onboard regular flights aided by UAE missions abroad, ” he added.