Coronavirus: UAE reports 602 Covid-19 cases, 654 recoveries, no deaths

The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention on Wednesday reported 602 cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus, along with 654 recoveries and no deaths.

Total active cases stand at 19,240.

The new cases were detected through 219,196 additional tests.

The total number of cases in UAE as on August 24 are 1,011,613, while total recoveries stand at 990,032. The death toll now stands at 2,341.

Free Covid-19 PCR tests will be provided to public school pupils and school staff at 226 public schools across the UAE from August 25 to August 28, authorities have announced.

Taking to Twitter, the Emirates Schools Establishment (ESE) said the Covid-19 screening points include 189 centres at schools in Dubai and the northern emirates and 37 centres in Abu Dhabi schools with a large capacity that serves students and educational staff.

Public school pupils in UAE will return to school campuses for the new academic year 2022-2023 on Monday, August 29.

According to the Emirates ESE, teachers and administrative staff have already reported back to schools for preparations.

The ESE has urged students and school staff to undergo the Covid-19 test because they have to present a 96 hour negative PCR result on the first day of reporting to school.

UAE authorities announced on Tuesday that more than 1.65 million students will be returning to schools.

Addressing a media briefing, authorities said they have completed all Covid safety preparations to receive the students safely.

Meanwhile, Singapore will do away with requirements to wear masks indoors from August 29, as the country sees its Covid-19 situation stabilise further, the health minister said on Wednesday.

For the first time in more than two years, people in the Southeast Asian city-state will no longer be required to wear masks indoors, except on public transport and in high-risk settings, like healthcare facilities.

The health ministry also updated rules for non-vaccinated travellers, dropping a 7-day quarantine requirement starting from next week.

Singapore, which is a major Asian financial and travel hub, lifted most of its pandemic curbs — including travel restrictions — earlier this year.

About 70 per cent of the city-state's 5.5 million population has already contracted Covid-19, said Ong Ye Kung, the health minister, in a news conference, adding that the re-infection rate is so far "very low".

Singapore has vaccinated more than 90 per cent of its population, and has among the lowest Covid-19 mortality rates in the world.