UAE reports 2,504 new Covid-19 cases on biggest testing day to date

The UAE recorded 2,504 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, taking its overall tally to 830,832.

Five people died during the latest 24-hour reporting period, raising the toll to 2,224.

Another 965 people beat the virus as the number of recoveries rose to 770,423.

The number of active cases in the Emirates stands at 58,185.

An additional 563,330 PCR tests were conducted, the largest single day total to date.

Testing rates have topped 500,000 four times in seven days, having never previously hit that mark.

More than 122 million tests have been carried out to date as part of a comprehensive screening strategy.

Many employees across the country are screened regularly in order to enter their places of work, while Abu Dhabi reintroduced border testing measures to enter the capital from other emirates at the end of 2021.

Government-run schools across the country and private schools in Abu Dhabi also require pupils to present a negative PCR test taken within 96 hours as part of a staggered return to in-person lessons.

Many age groups headed back to school on Monday, with the remainder resuming in-person lessons on Monday under the phased strategy.

Despite a record day of testing, infection rates dropped to their lowest level this year.

Case numbers, which had fell below 50 in early December, have risen sharply in recent weeks.

But Tuesday's tally is the lowest since December 31, when 2,426 infections were confirmed.