UAE reports 930 new Covid-19 cases, warns of strict action against violators

The UAE government reported 930 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, September 10.

This is the highest number of daily cases recorded in nearly four months, and is an almost five-fold increase from the numbers a month ago.

It is the third highest number of daily cases reported by the UAE.

آخر الإحصائيات حول إصابات فيروس كوفيد 19 في الإمارات

The latest update of Coronavirus (Covid 19) in the UAE#نلتزم_لننتصر #التزامك_حياتك#ملتزمون_يا_وطن#كوفيد19#وزارة_الصحة_ووقاية_المجتمع_الإمارات#we_commit_until_we_succeed #covid19#mohap_uae pic.twitter.com/yI9uBZTGgX

— وزارة الصحة ووقاية المجتمع الإماراتية – MOHAP UAE (@mohapuae) September 10, 2020

Of the newly infected cases, 62 per cent were male and 38 per cent were female.

Around 10 per cent of these new cases were found as a result of prior examination of the administrative and educational staff in schools, parents and students who chose to return to schools.

Dr. Farida Al Hosani, the UAE’s official spokesperson for the health sector, noted that a number of private educational institutions in the country failed to apply isolation measures and suspend studies for a period of 14 days after discovering cases, despite the directives issued by the Ministry of Education.

The ministry conducted 82,076 tests to screen for the virus over the preceding 24 hours.

The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) added that there were also five new Covid-19 related fatalities, raising the overall death toll to 398.

However, 586 new recoveries were reported, taking the total number of recoveries up to 67,945.

The UAE has reported 76,911 Covid-19 cases since the virus was first detected in the country earlier this year.

Around 12 per cent of cases detected in the past two weeks were of citizens and residents returning to the UAE, despite obtaining negative Covid-19 results in the country of their departure.

The remaining 88 per cent were a result of gatherings and of people breaking quarantine protocols.

The authorities cited an example of a wedding party at a home which has been reported the Emergency Crisis and Disaster Prosecution by the Abu Dhabi Police. The groom, his father and the bride’s father were referred to the prosecution while legal action was taken against all those who attended the wedding ceremony.

The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority(NCEMA) added that authorities will tighten supervision and inspection of the Covid-19 precautionary measures, and violators of  these directives, whether individuals, commercial centers or restaurants, will be held accountable.

“The NCEMA supervision, inspection and accountability for those violating preventive measures will be tightened and fines will be applied based on the decision of the Attorney General,” tweeted the NCEMA.

Al Hosani said that lack of commitment of malls and shops to the precautionary measures contributed to the recent increase in the number of cases.