COVID-19: 4 shops, including gym, shut down in Dubai for flouting rules

Dubai: Authorities have shut down four establishments for breaking COVID-19 precautionary measures in the emirate.

Dubai Municipality, according to Arabic reports, carried out an inspection campaign on Sunday in coordination with the Dubai Sports Council, and discovered a fitness centre, a shisha cafe, a beauty salon and a massage centre were all flouting safety rules and regulations.

The list of violations included overcrowding, not complying with the face mask rule, as well as the failure to clean and disinfect within the premises.

During the latest inspection campaign across 2,214 establishments, fines were issued against three shops and 23 were given warnings. On the other hand, officials keenly pointed out that 2,184 outlets met the requirements of adhering to public safety measures, and as many as 98 per cent of retailers were found to be compliant with the precautionary rules against COVID-19.

On July 5, the UAE reported 1,573 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of infections to 641,049, according to the Ministry of Health and Prevention.

Five more COVID-19 patients succumbed to the deadly virus, taking the country’s death toll to 1,839.

Remain vigilant

As the UAE continues to carry out its vaccination campaign against COVID-19, residents were urged to continue following the necessary measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

In a previous statement, the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) said face masks must be worn at all times, constantly disinfect hands and maintain a safe physical distance.

Other wellness tips included: