Picture used for illustrative purpose only.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

In line with the Ministry of Health and Prevention’s plans to increase COVID-19 testing throughout the country for the early detection of infections, particularly among those who had prior contact with infected individuals, the Ministry has conducted 41,000 additional tests.

Testing resulted in the detection of 553 new cases among various nationalities, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 16,793.

The new cases in question are in a stable condition and undergoing the necessary medical treatment.

The Ministry also announced the death of nine patients of various nationalities due to complications arising from COVID-19. The deceased suffered from other chronic health issues. The total number of deaths from COVID-19 in the country now stands at 174.

The Ministry offered its sincere condolences to the families of the deceased and wished a speedy recovery to all patients currently undergoing medical care.

The Ministry also announced that 265 people infected with the virus have fully recovered after receiving the necessary medical care, bringing the total number of recoveries to 3,837.

The Ministry called upon the public to adhere to health guidelines and instructions from the relevant authorities, particularly concerning social distancing, for the sake of the health and safety of all.

Dubai’s Department of Economic Development has carried out inspection procedures across Dubai to ensure the compliance of outlets with the precautionary health and safety measures.

DED officials made a surprise visit to outlets across Dubai. They inspected prices of goods, while ensuring the availability of products.

Meanwhile, Al Muraqabat Police patrolled several Dubai areas to monitor any violations during the National Sterilisation Programme from 10pm until 6am.

The Ministry has announced it was deploying a self-driving vehicle to distribute personal protective equipment including masks, gloves and sanitisers among residents and workers of a residential complex in Sharjah.

The initiative, which was implemented in cooperation with the Sharjah’s Family Health Promotion Centre, and Huawei, comes as part of the ministry’s efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus, using the latest Artificial Intelligence technologies and fifth generation technology, 5G, MoHAP said in a statement.

Dr. Amin Hussein Al Amiri, Assistant Under-Secretary for Public Health Policy and the Licensing Sector in the ministry, affirmed the ministry’s keenness to incorporate AI technologies and smart techniques into its COVID-19 awareness programmes.

"Deploying the autonomous shuttle is a step in the right direction towards strengthening the prevention and control of COVID-19 as it significantly reduces social contact while at the same time saving more time and effort.

"AI technologies are very useful during these challenging times. Not only will they help protect the medical cadres against the virus, but they will also save their time, which can be harnessed to treat patients," Al Amiri said.