Mortality rate in UAE from COVID-19 increased by 0.2%

Dubai: In the past week 6,643 COVID-19 positive cases were detected after nearly half a million tests were conducted in the UAE. This is the equivalent of 1 per cent, announced Dr Saif Al Dhaheri, spokesperson for the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority, during a press breifing on Tuesday.

According to Dr Omar Al Hammadi, the official spokesman for the UAE Government who was speaking at the media briefing today, males accounted for 62 per cent of the total COVID-19 cases in the past seven days while females accounted for 38 per cent. Additionally, 58 per cent of the cases were people aged between 25 and 44.

Al Hammadi said the UAE’s COVID-19 mortality rate has risen from 0.1 per cent to 0.3 per cent, which is still less than 1 per cent, while the death rate in some countries of the world reached 8 per cent.

In the breifing a close contact was defined as the person who has been in contact with a positive COVID-19 case for a minimum of 15 minutes and at a proximity of less than 2 meters.

During today’s briefing, Saif Al Dhaheri, the official spokesman for the National Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Management Authority, announced that more than 24,894 violations to COVID-10 precautionary measures have been recorded in the UAE, with Dubai reporting the highest COVID-19 violations followed by Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain, and Ras Al Khaimah.

He said that most of the violations were committed by residents of Asian nationalities who accounted for 81 per cent of these violations while the rest 19 per cent were committed by Arabs.

“Failing to wear the face masks was the most detected violation followed by non-compliance with the number of passengers allowed on a single vehicle, failure to adhere to physical distancing and precautionary measures and finally the random gatherings,” Al Dhaheri added.

A statement from the Dubai Media office said: "As part of Dubai Supreme Committee of Crisis & Disaster Management’s commitment to safeguarding the health & safety of Dubai’s citizens & residents, inspections in the emirate have been intensified to ensure the strict compliance of individuals and establishments with COVID-19 precautionary measures."

"Intensified inspections have resulted in an increase in the number of violations recorded in Dubai. The Committee has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against violations and will continue to enforce the highest safety standards," it added.

Al Dhaheri also announced that the UAE has decided to resume sporting activities across the UAE but under certain conditions and controls that guarantee limiting the spread of COVID-19