Abu Dhabi, 16th May 2020 (WAM) – The UAE Government announced that an additional 603 patients had recovered from COVID-19 after receiving the necessary medical care, raising the total number of recoveries to 7,931.

This was revealed during the regular media briefing held today in Abu Dhabi by Dr. Amna Al Dahak Al Shamsi, official spokesperson of the UAE Government.

Dr. Al Shamsi underscored plans to further enlarge the scope of COVID-19 testing, noting that health authorities conducted an additional 35,735 tests, which led to 796 new infections identified among various nationalities, with the total number of cases amounting to 22,627, including those receiving treatment, recovered cases, and deaths.

She announced four deaths from different nationalities, bringing the number of COVID-19-related deaths registered in the country to 214.

Al Shamsi offered her sincere condolences to the families of the deceased and prayed to Allah the Almighty to grant patience and solace to their families.

The number of COVID-19 cases still receiving treatment now stands at 14,482 from different nationalities.

Dr. Amna Al Dahak warned that as the Holy Month of Ramadan is drawing to a close, and with the celebrations of Eid Al Fitr taking place during these very exceptional times due to coronavirus pandemic, it is very important to avoid gatherings.

“Our Eid celebrations are usually associated with the traditions of visits, gatherings and feasts. We advise all families to avoid these practices,” she said.

Highlighting the dangers of these practices, she said: “Imagine a UAE family deciding to continue their yearly custom of gathering on the first day of Eid or visiting the grandfather’s house to spend this happy occasion with other relatives and meeting with brothers, sisters, children and old elderly people with pre-existing conditions.”

Imagine, she went on, that one of the family members is unaware that he or she contracted coronavirus from a contact and showed no symptoms. This person would congratulate his or her grandfather and exchange Eid greetings with the rest of the family members, spend the whole day with them without taking the necessary preventive measures, passing on the infection to the family. By the end of the day, each family will go back to their home, without knowing that they are infected now, and may be one of them will decide to cap this with visiting friends and another goes back to work after Eid holidays.

“Here, she continued, the forty cases could rise to hundred or more. This is one scenario for one single family, and if it happens to multiple families, the hundreds will multiply to thousands.

The condition of people with chronic diseases and the elderyly could worsen, just because few people did not adhere to the social distancing rules and other preventive measures and ignored the most important principles of prevention, maintaining a safe distance and avoiding gatherings.”

She emphasised the importance of commitment to precautionary measures during the Eid celebrations.

“We understand the importance of socialising and meeting family and friends during Eid, but due to the exceptional circumstances, let’s share the sense of responsibility for everyone’s safety,” she said.

“Let’s give up some of our traditions this year, I am sure there will be many more Eids for us to get together again. We have no excuse to be careless or not to adhere to preventive measures. It is now every individual and every family’s responsibility. Any irresponsible behaviour should be abandoned,” she concluded.