UAE plans to conduct 2m additional COVID-19 tests in next two months

DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is planning to carry out two million additional COVID-19 tests over the next two months as the emirates’ fight against the pandemic reaches a "pivotal stage", the government official revealed in the press conference.

The accelerated testing drive will focus on workers in the government sector and the service sector, including taxi drivers and other public transport staff, hotel workers, retail employees at malls and workers in government agencies.

Some 3.5 million tests have been carried out in the UAE so far. The coronavirus pandemic has infected 52,068 people in the UAE. The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention on Monday reported 528 new cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus, along with 424 recoveries and one death. The death toll rises to 324.

The daily number of cases has "slightly increased" in the last few days, said Dr Amna Al Dahhak Al Shamsi, spokesperson for the UAE government. This increase is a "source of worry" and "reflects the reckless behaviour of some residents in not complying with safety precautions".