Rise in Covid deaths due to new variants: UAE health official

Dubai - Total of 94 per cent of Covid deaths have been among unvaccinated people.

by

Dhanusha Gokulan

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Published: Mon 28 Jun 2021, 3:09 AM

The recent increase in Covid-19 deaths in the UAE has been attributed to the spread of viral mutations of the SARS-COV-2 coronavirus, a top health official said Sunday.

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“The number of deaths in the country has increased recently, in comparision to previous week, due to the spread of viral mutations and lack of commitment to preventive measures,” official spokesperson of the UAE health sector, Dr Farida Al Hosani, stated during the weekly Covid-19 briefing.

Unfortunately, most fatalities are among unvaccinated UAE residents and visitors. “According to recent statistics, a total of 94 per cent of the Covid-19 deaths have been among unvaccinated people. Only six per cent of Covid deaths are among the vaccinated population,” explained Dr Hosani.


“These rates were also evident in the cases admitted to intensive care units in hospitals, where the highest percentage of non-vaccinated people admitted was at 92 per cent, while the percentage of vaccinated people stood at eight per cent,” explained.

The number of unvaccinated patients among those infected currently stands at 84 per cent. “Only 16 per cent of those who contracted the virus are vaccinated,” she added. Now, 71 per cent of the total population of the country has been vaccinated.

“This represents 91.8 per cent of the eligible category,” she added.

On Sunday, the UAE reported 2,122 new cases and four deaths due to Covid. However, on Saturday, an alarming 10 deaths were reported on official channels of the Ministry of Health and Prevention in the UAE.

While the vaccines against Covid-19 have proven effective in reducing infection rates, Dr Hosani said it does not prevent it altogether. “Vaccines have proven successful in reducing hospital admissions and intensive care rates and reducing the death rate,” she added.

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