Latest: Dubai hotels told to axe Friday brunch and yacht parties restricted
Dubai’s government imposed a series of restrictions on public places and venues on Monday.
It cut seating capacity in various venues including cinemas, entertainment and sports complexes to 50 per cent.
It also cut hotel occupancy and swimming pool use to 70 per cent of capacity. Shopping malls will be allowed to accept only 70 per cent of their total capacity.
Restaurants and cafes will be required to close by 1am. They will also not be allowed to organise any entertainment activities.
Any licensed venue classed as a “pub or bar” but that is not a restaurant will be closed immediately. Last year, the authorities allowed licensed restaurants to remain open, but kept beach bars and nightclubs shut for months.
Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management said the measures were imposed immediately and will remain in effect throughout February.
The move came as daily case numbers in the Emirates remain high, though there has been a significant drop in recent days.
For almost three weeks, case numbers climbed, peaking at about 4,000.
On Monday, the number of new cases fell back to 2,700, though the three-day death toll was 33 people, one of the highest figures in months.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.