UAE reports 2,742 new COVID-19 cases, 17 deaths in 24 hours

UAE reports 2,742 new COVID-19 cases, 17 deaths in 24 hours
March 4, 2021, 10:42 am

A man wearing a protective mask stands at a racetrack overlooking Dubai following the UAE's decision to postpone the upcoming Dubai Horse Racing amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, on March 23, 2020 in Dubai. (File photo: AFP)

The United Arab Emirates recorded 2,742 new cases of COVID-19 and 17 deaths over the past 24 hours, the country's National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority reported on Thursday.

https://twitter.com/NCEMAUAE/status/1367413572750385152

An additional 235,797 coronavirus tests were carried out since Wednesday while 1,691 recoveries were recorded.

The current number of active cases in the UAE is 13,641 as of March 4 and the death toll has gone up to 1,286.

Despite an increase in daily cases, the UAE is leading one of the world’s most efficient vaccination campaigns and is set to be among the first nations to emerge from the pandemic as most of its population has been vaccinated.

In reference to this, Dr Fouad al-Rahal, a specialist in emergency medicine at Bareen International Hospital, told Al Arabiya English: “With the dedicated effort of the UAE government to combat the pandemic – for which we are truly thankful for, and the willingness of the general public to support the programs led by the government, UAE may soon be the first country to vaccinate its entire population and hence, reach herd immunity.”

As of Thursday, the UAE’s total administered vaccination doses went up to 6,168,330, NCEMA data suggested.