Coronavirus: UAE reports 74 Covid-19 cases, 93 recoveries, no deaths

The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention on Wednesday reported 74 cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus, along with 93 recoveries and no deaths.

Over 97.5 million PCR tests have been conducted in the country so far.

The new cases were detected through 337,742 additional tests.

Total number of cases in UAE as on November 17 are 741,148, while total recoveries stand at 735,816. The death toll now stands at 2,144.

It was announced on Tuesday, schools and education institutions across the UAE will operate at 100 per cent capacity from the second term. The second term in UAE schools begin in January 2022.

Schools in Dubai and Sharjah are already operating at 100 per cent capacity. With this new announcement, schools across the Emirates will welcome back all students.

Airfare prices are rising as demand grows during holiday season, which has dampened stranded UAE and other GCC countries' expats' bid to return.

At least 19,000 Indian expatriates, who returned home after the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in March 2020, are unable to travel as they cannot afford the expensive air tickets.

All airlines operating between India and the Arabian Gulf sector have increased their fares up to five times, including a three-fold rise to Dubai.

Several stranded expatriates, who are yet to be fully vaccinated, are also scared that they may not be able to get back until they are inoculated.

Pfizer Inc said on Tuesday it has filed for US authorisation of promising antiviral pill.

Pfizer is seeking authorisation of its experimental antiviral Covid-19 pill that cut the chance of hospitalisation or death for adults at risk of severe disease by 89 per cent in a clinical trial.

The oral drug could be a promising new weapon in the fight against the pandemic, as it can be taken as an early at-home treatment to help prevent Covid-19 hospitalisations and deaths.

• Dubai
• Abu Dhabi