Coronavirus: UAE reports 284 Covid-19 cases, 823 recoveries, no deaths

The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention on Saturday reported 284 cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus, along with 823 recoveries and no deaths.

Total active cases stand at 20,253.

The new cases were detected through 298,820 additional tests.

The total number of cases in UAE as on April 2 are 891,872, while total recoveries stand at 869,315. The death toll now stands at 2,302.

Hong Kong authorities on Saturday asked the entire population of more than 7.4 million people to voluntarily test themselves for Covid-19 at home for three days in a row starting next week.

The announcement by Chief Executive Carrie Lam came as the southern Chinese city is struggling to contain its worst outbreak. Lam said a “compulsory, universal test” of the whole population is still essential, but did not say when that might happen. Authorities shelved the idea after a previous announcement caused panic buying.

The prospect of further school closures and other disruptions has the government caught between calls for loosening restrictions and Beijing’s demand for an extreme “zero-Covid” approach mandating lockdowns and mass testing.

Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous territory, on Friday lifted a ban on residents returning aboard flights from nine countries where Covid-19 cases have surged, including Britain and the US.

Meanwhile, amid a spike in Covid-19 cases, Taiwan on Friday declared the closure of 39 schools.

School closures and class cancellations were announced in 10 counties in cities due to Covid infections, reported Taiwan News. Many teachers and students were reportedly infected as new Covid cases are being reported in multiple locations across Taiwan.

Thirty-nine schools have announced either the closure of the whole campus or the suspension of specific classes, reported Taiwan News.

Taiwan on Friday reported 104 local Covid cases, most in 281 days, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).

• Dubai
• Abu Dhabi