Coronavirus: UAE reports 1,255 Covid-19 cases, 715 recoveries, 4 deaths

The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention on Tuesday reported 1,255 cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus, along with 715 recoveries. Four deaths were also reported.

As many as 105,024 new Covid-19 tests were carried out, taking the total to over 15.1 million Covid-19 tests so far.

UAE extends visa fine waiver until end of 2020

People who have overstayed their UAE visas now have until the end of the year to leave the country without having to pay fines, the authorities have announced. The short-term amnesty, which was introduced on May 14, was supposed to end today, November 17.

The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) said illegal residents, whose visas expired before March 1, would have their fines waived if they are able to exit the UAE on or before the end of December. All penalties and restrictions involving Emirates IDs and work permits shall also be lifted, said Major-General Saeed Rakan Al Rashidi, ICA’s Acting Director-General for Foreigners Affairs and Ports.

Over 30,000 UAE Armed Forces personnel vaccinated against Covid-19

More than 30,000 UAE army personnel have received the Covid-19 vaccine to keep the force safe from infections, a senior official from the Ministry of Defence has said. Brigadier-General Dr Aisha Al Dhaheri, commander of medical service corps, UAE Armed Forces, said those who received the jabs included military contractors and national services recruits. The men and women in uniform, she said, have been on the frontlines of the country’s fight against the coronavirus. They helped deliver critical care supplies, transported critically ill patients to hospitals and ensured border security amid the pandemic. “We used military personnel for case detection by creating five screening centres. We also supported the vaccination trials for the UAE,” said Dr Dhaheri.

Sharjah wedding, event halls reopen: Key guidelines to be followed

The Sharjah Economic Development Department (SEDD) has issued a circular spelling out a slew of protocols that should be followed by wedding venues and events halls, which were allowed to reopen from November 1 with strict anti-Covid measures. The department will carry out inspections to ensure compliance of these conditions and take stringent action against the offenders. The guidelines include wearing face masks and gloves, and following social distance of two meters between people. The number of guests should not exceed 50 per cent of the hall's capacity and the facilities must organise awareness campaigns for employees about the prevention and protection against the infection, said Salim Ahmed Al Suwaidi, deputy director of commercial control and protection department at SEDD.

• Dubai
• Abu Dhabi