Covid in UAE: Positivity rate to PCR tests conducted remains low despite rising cases

Despite daily Covid-19 cases in the UAE remaining over 2,500 on most days this month, the average positivity rate still remains well below 0.5 per cent, which is among the world's lowest.

For instance, the country reported 2,291 infections from 459,244 PCR tests on Sunday. This is a positivity rate of 0.49 per cent.

In contrast, the positivity rate was 7.1 percent in the UK; 9.7 per cent in France; 1.2 per cent in Israel; 14.5 per cent in India; 12.46 per cent in Pakistan; and 6.9 per cent in the Philippines.

Medicos in the UAE believe that the primary reason behind the low number of positive case stringent government policies.

"Government protocols ensure health and safety of the community, including regular testing of residents in the emirate in various sectors - healthcare workers, schools, government units, and public places – contribute to the lesser number of cases in comparison with the number of tests," said Dr Marwa El Ghandour, Specialist - Clinical Pathology at Bareen International Hospital – MBZ City, Abu Dhabi.

Doctors also believe that the residents have also contributed to this.

"The general public adhering continuously to the basic health and safety measures such as regular hand washing/sanitizing, mask wearing, and physical distancing curb the spread of the virus as well,"

Total active cases in the UAE stand at 64,604. The new cases were detected through 459,244 additional tests.

The total number of cases in UAE as on January 30 are 843,030, while total recoveries stand at 776,186. The death toll in the UAE now stands at 2,240.

Dr Sarla Kumari, specialist physician diabetologist at Canadian Specialists Hospital, Dubai, said that the high number of PCR tests is because residents must carry positive results for various activities which helps to detect positive cases.

"We need to have PCR tests done for international travel, for federal government departments, need test to travel Abu Dhabi, some companies importantly put bar on employees to have every fortnightly test for covid and some school need tests for teachers- for precautionary measures."

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Doctors also pointed out that 100 per cent of UAE's eligible population has received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine which has contributed to lower positivity rates.

The UAE has administered 13,912 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine in the past 24 hours. The country's Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) said the total doses administered now stand at 23.5 million. This takes the rate of doses to 237.89 doses per 100 people.

ayaz@khaleejtimes.com

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