Dubai extends Covid preventive measures to the beginning of Ramadan

Dubai to extend the existing precautionary measures until the beginning of Ramadan to curb the spread of the coronavirus, Dubai Media Office announced on Friday. The procedures, implemented on February 2, will be in effect until mid-April.

The measures include the cinemas, entertainment and sports venues operating at 50 per cent capacity while the number of visitors at shopping malls, hotel establishments and swimming pools and private beaches in hotels to be limited to 70 per cent capacity. It also includes complete closure of pubs/bars and closing food outlets such as restaurants and cafes by 1 AM.

Dubai's Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management, headed by Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, stated that the decision to extend the measures was taken after data showed that they were effective in curbing the spread of COVID-19. The committee noted that the authorities would continue monitoring and impose penalties in case of violations.

On Friday, the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention reported 3,498 new Covid cases totalling 3,85,160 and 2,478 new cases of recoveries with a total of 3,77,537. The Ministry also notified that the total number of doses administered, as of Thursday, stood at 5,846,036 with a rate of vaccine distribution of 59.11 doses per 100 people.