UAE takes steps to combat COVID -19

  13 June 2020    Read: 1608
UAE takes steps to combat COVID -19 @Getty Images

The UAE announced 513 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 41,499 and totally 25,946 people had recovered from the virus, total number of deaths is 287  as of June 12.

The Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center has announced the installation of a piece of cutting-edge medical equipment to provide scientists with insight into COVID-19. The Helios cytometer will enable scientists to quickly and accurately profile individual human cells while studying patients’ immune response to the virus.

UAE-based researchers at the Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center trialing an innovative stem cell treatment for COVID-19 have secured intellectual property rights protection, paving the way for the technology to be shared widely. Researchers also announced that a recent analysis showed the treatment was effective and safe as an add-on to standard care.

The UAE Central Bank has said that the economy would contract 3.6% following growth of 2.9% last year, leaving the economy slightly smaller at the end of the year than in 2019. However, hiring began to pick up in May, with increased economic recovery expected in Q4.

UAE health authorities have conducted more than 2.5 million COVID-19 tests in the country, the highest number of tests worldwide.

The Dubai Future Foundation has launched an innovative mechanical ventilator prototype to support frontline healthcare workers. The development of the ventilator is part of the country’s efforts to deploy breakthrough technologies and increase local production in response to strained global supply chains.

Group 42, a UAE-based artificial intelligence and cloud computing company, and Oxford Nanopore Technologies announced the development of an unprecedented population-scale technology that rapidly and accurately detects SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. With ultra-high parallel processing capacity, the new technology has the potential to transform the diagnostics industry globally.

HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, praised coordination between the UAE and India in the fight against COVID-19, hailing India's dispatch of medical teams to the UAE and highlighting their participation in the UAE Volunteers campaign.

The number of repatriation flights from the UAE to India is set to more than double from next week as officials intensify efforts to help citizens return to their home country. Approximately 420,000 people have registered with the Indian Consulate and Embassy seeking to fly back to India.

The UAE has sent medical aid to Mauritania and the Maldives, having sent over 800 tonnes of COVID-19 aid to more than 65 countries to date. The UAE also donated 6.6 tonnes of material to the United Kingdom to enable the country to produce millions of items of personal protective equipment.

Schools across the UAE are set to reopen for a new academic year on August 30, with different scenarios involving a mixture of distance learning and in-classroom teaching under consideration to continue ensuring that schoolchildren do not fall behind in their education.

COVID-19 has accelerated e-commerce activity in the UAE, and online shopping is likely to keep playing a "major role," even with the resumption of normal activity, according to Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of the Dubai Future Foundation.


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