DUBAI: Daily coronavirus cases in the UAE were below 1,000 for the eighth straight day, with 996 confirmed infections reported by health authorities on Tuesday.
The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) also said there were two additional fatalities related to the highly transmissible disease, bringing the total number of deaths in the country to 2,041.
The UAE’s caseload meanwhile stands at 718,370, with 705,118 patients fully recovering from COVID-19.
The Gulf country has one of the world’s most aggressive coronavirus testing and vaccination programs as the country aims to achieve mass immunity for its population.
MoHAP earlier reported that 18,111,163 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered for a vaccine distribution rate of 183.12 doses per 100 people.
About 87.19 percent of the UAE population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine while 76.12 percent of residents and nationals have been fully vaccinated. The UAE has also encouraged fully vaccinated individuals to take booster shots, particularly those who have been fully jabbed with the Sinopharm vaccine.
The UAE health ministry earlier cut the cost of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests for COVID-19 to Dh50 nationwide and mandated all centers and laboratories to issues results within 24 hours.
Dubai facilities offering PCR tests previously charged as much as Dh150 and their Abu Dhabi counterparts have their invoices capped at Dh65, while rules differ in other emirates.
Free PCR tests are also being provided to all students returning to schools at selected Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) screening facilities across the country.