Coronavirus in UAE: Dubai's Oasis mall is not shut

coronavirus, covid-19, oasis centre, oasis mall, spreading rumours, paramedics

Dubai - Pictures of an ambulance in front of the mall and paramedics entering the premises had been shared on social media.

Anjana Sankar

Published: Wed 11 Mar 2020, 2:29 PM

Last updated: Thu 12 Mar 2020, 5:04 PM

A popular shopping mall on Dubai's Sheikh Zayed Road has denied rumours that it has shut over a Covid-19 coronavirus threat.

Oasis mall issued the statement after social media posts falsely claiming that the mall has closed down were being shared widely in the UAE.

The post showed an ambulance in front of the mall and paramedics with stretchers entering the mall.

In a statement issued to Khaleej Times, the mall management said: "On March 9, paramedics were alerted of a medical emergency near Al Qouz, and the caller cited Oasis Mall for location reference. The paramedics, doing their duty, arrived at the mall by mistake and promptly left after ascertaining the right location. Their photographs were wrongly propagated to create unwarranted confusion and speculation."

"We reiterate that no case has been reported at Oasis mall. All precautionary and safety measures have been taken in line with the UAE Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation's (WHO) standards to ensure the safety and wellness of all, including strengthening awareness among our tenants, staff and visitors. For more information or inquiries regarding the incident, kindly contact the Dubai Health Authority and/or Dubai Police."

Authorities have time and again issued warning about spreading fake news and rumours on social media, especially about coronavirus. The UAE Ministry of Interior (MoI) has warned that anyone spreading fake information and rumours on social media about coronavirus in the country will be punished according to the online law, while urging people to act responsibly. Those violating online laws face jail sentences ranging from three years up to life in prison or fines that can reach up to Dh3 million, the authorities added. Besides violating the law, people circulating such rumours exaggerating the number of cases of people infected with Covid-19 in the country trigger fear and unnecessary panic among members of society, the ministry said early this week.

Over the past few days, several government, health and education institutions have come out to rubbish rumours of new cases of coronavirus after fake information circulated on the social media. Last week, Zayed University in Abu Dhabi denied rumours that there was a case of coronavirus infection at the university and called on members of the public to refrain from spreading false information that may scare and rattle students and staff.