Coronavirus: UAE reports 1,529 Covid-19 cases, 1,506 recoveries, 4 deaths

Dubai - Over 59.9 million tests have been conducted across the country to date.

The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention on Friday reported 1,529 cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus, along with 1,506 recoveries and 4 deaths.

Over 59.9 million tests have been conducted across the country to date.

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Flight bookings from several Indian cities have re-opened to Dubai from July 15, as per the travel websites of some Indian carriers. Travel from India was suspended on April 24, due to the Covid-19 Delta variant. Since then, the decision to remove the suspension of flights has gone through multiple changes and flights were expected to start on July 15.

Meanwhile, special commercial flights will be operated to repatriate stranded Filipino expats in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Last month, some 325 Filipinos from Dubai and Abu Dhabi returned home on a Philippines government-chartered flight.

The Covid-19 vaccine booster shot helps stimulate immunity, especially against the new strains. Dr Farida Al Hosani, official spokesperson of the UAE health sector, had said earlier in the week that such booster shots are given in other kinds of vaccines too, just like the seasonal flu vaccine.

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Canada has said that there are cases of the latest Covid-19 variant of interest in the country, but it's too early to know how widespread it is or what impact it could have. Lambda, was officially classified as a variant of interest by the WHO last month. While Delta is listed as a variant of concern, Lambda has been placed in the lower alert category.

Meanwhile, Pfizer and BioNTech has announced they would seek regulatory authorisation for a third dose of their Covid-19 vaccine. It comes after initial data from an ongoing trial showed a third shot pushed antibody levels five to 10 times higher against the original coronavirus strain and the Beta variant, first found in South Africa, compared to the first two doses alone, according to a statement.

• Dubai