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UAE's daily COVID-19 cases fall below 100

October 17, 2021 at 4:22 pm

A man is tested using Laser-based DPI technology at a testing center at the Dubai-Abu Dhabi border on August 10, 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. [Francois Nel/Getty Images]

The United Arab Emirates on Sunday recorded a drop in daily COVID-19 cases to below 100 for the first time since the start of the outbreak last year as it hosts a huge world fair to which it hopes to attract millions of visits, Reuters reports.

The Health Ministry reported 99 new cases, down from a peak of nearly 4,000 a day in January. The UAE’s cumulative death toll stands at 2,120.

The regional tourism and business hub, which still largely requires masks in public places, has one of the world’s highest immunisation rates.

Around 96% of the population of roughly 10 million have received one vaccine dose, while some 86% are fully vaccinated, according to latest official data.

Other Gulf Arab states including Saudi Arabia have also seen daily coronavirus cases fall to below 100.

The UAE is hoping to boost its economy by attracting 25 million business and tourist visits to Expo 2020 Dubai, the first world fair to be held in the Middle East. The event began on Oct. 1 and will run for six months.

READ: Egypt number one Middle East country in undercounting COVID-19 deaths