On January 29, 2020, a virus that was quickly spreading around the world arrived in the UAE.
Authorities confirmed four cases of the new coronavirus, which causes the disease known as Covid-19, in a family from Wuhan, China, the original centre of the outbreak a month earlier.
Since then, the UAE has recorded close to 840,000 cases along with more than 2,200 deaths.
A challenging two years for the nation and the world as a whole has affected all sections of society.
Stay-home measures and deep-cleaning operations were introduced in the early stages of the outbreak. Offices and schools closed as a precautionary measure and flights were grounded.
Authorities introduced physical distance rules and made the wearing of face masks in public was made mandatory. The rules remain crucial to efforts to limit the spread of the virus.
There have been many positive milestones along the way, too, in the fight to overcome the pandemic, not least the safe reopening of the economy and the success of a world-leading immunisation campaign.
Here, The National charts the key chapters in a continuing story, from the first identified cases of a new public threat to the rapid introduction of vaccination campaigns aiding global recovery.
December 31, 2020
The World Health Organisation in China is informed of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause in Wuhan, Hubei province.
Five days later, it reports that it had detected the cluster and shortly after that it issues its first risk assessment and advice.
January 14, 2020
The WHO says there may have been some limited human to human transmission of the virus among the 41 confirmed cases, mainly among family members. But there is a “risk” of a possible wider outbreak. Person to person transmission is confirmed a week later.
January 29, 2020
The UAE announces its first cases of the new coronavirus in a family from Wuhan. The mother, father, nine-year-old girl and grandmother arrived in the Emirates on January 16 and first sought treatment on January 23 after the grandmother developed flu-like symptoms. All four family members subsequently develop the disease.
March 11, 2020
The WHO declares the outbreak as a pandemic due to “deep concern by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction”.
June 24, 2020
The UAE launches the world’s first phase 3 clinical trial of an inactivated vaccine against Covid-19 in co-operation with Chinese manufacturer Sinopharm CNBG. The vaccine, Sinopharm, is found to be 79 per cent effective against the original strain of the virus.
September 15, 2020
The UAE approves Sinopharm’s inactivated vaccine for emergency use among frontline workers.
November 26, 2020
Abu Dhabi announces it has launched the Hope Consortium, a global logistics centre to deliver billions of Covid-19 vaccine doses around the world by the end of 2021. The consortium provides vaccine storage and distribution.
December 9, 2020
The UAE approves Sinopharm’s vaccine for emergency use by the general public, kicking off the start of a mass vaccine campaign.
December 22, 2020
The UAE approves Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine against Covid-19 for emergency use among the general public over the age of 18. Vaccinations in Dubai begin days after. The approval of other vaccines including Oxford-AstraZeneca, Sputnik V and Moderna follows.
November 27, 2021
Less than a year after it began, the UAE announces its vaccination drive has administered enough shots to inoculate 100 per cent of the eligible population with one dose. More than 23 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered to date, with about 93 per cent of the public fully vaccinated.
December 27, 2021
The UAE approves a new vaccine from Sinopharm. The Ministry of Health and Prevention announced that a study had been carried out on the new “recombinant protein-based vaccine” in the UAE, and that it would be used as a booster for those who had previously received two doses of the inactive Sinopharm vaccine.
Recombinant protein vaccines target the spike protein that the virus uses to enter human cells. The study showed improved immunity against the virus and was effective against variants.
MWTC info
Tickets to the MWTC range from Dh100 and can be purchased from www.ticketmaster.ae or by calling 800 86 823 from within the UAE or 971 4 366 2289 from outside the country and all Virgin Megastores. Fans looking to attend all three days of the MWTC can avail of a special 20 percent discount on ticket prices.
'Laal Kaptaan'
Director: Navdeep Singh
Stars: Saif Ali Khan, Manav Vij, Deepak Dobriyal, Zoya Hussain
Rating: 2/5
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Angela Bassett, Tina Fey
Directed by: Pete Doctor
Rating: 4 stars
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
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ACL Elite (West) - fixtures
Monday, Sept 30
Al Sadd v Esteghlal (8pm)
Persepolis v Pakhtakor (8pm)
Al Wasl v Al Ahli (8pm)
Al Nassr v Al Rayyan (10pm)
Tuesday, Oct 1
Al Hilal v Al Shorta (10pm)
Al Gharafa v Al Ain (10pm)
FIGHT CARD
Bantamweight Hamza Bougamza (MAR) v Jalal Al Daaja (JOR)
Catchweight 67kg Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR) v Fouad Mesdari (ALG)
Lighweight Abdullah Mohammed Ali (UAE) v Abdelhak Amhidra (MAR)
Catchweight 73kg Mostafa Ibrahim Radi (PAL) v Yazid Chouchane (ALG)
Middleweight Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) v Badreddine Diani (MAR)
Catchweight 78kg Rashed Dawood (UAE) v Adnan Bushashy (ALG)
Middleweight Sallaheddine Dekhissi (MAR) v Abdel Emam (EGY)
Catchweight 65kg Rachid Hazoume (MAR) v Yanis Ghemmouri (ALG)
Lighweight Mohammed Yahya (UAE) v Azouz Anwar (EGY)
Catchweight 79kg Omar Hussein (PAL) v Souhil Tahiri (ALG)
Middleweight Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Laid Zerhouni (ALG)
The biog
Hobbies: Salsa dancing “It's in my blood” and listening to music in different languages
Favourite place to travel to: “Thailand, as it's gorgeous, food is delicious, their massages are to die for!”
Favourite food: “I'm a vegetarian, so I can't get enough of salad.”
Favourite film: “I love watching documentaries, and am fascinated by nature, animals, human anatomy. I love watching to learn!”
Best spot in the UAE: “I fell in love with Fujairah and anywhere outside the big cities, where I can get some peace and get a break from the busy lifestyle”
If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
Rafael Nadal's record at the MWTC
2009 Finalist
2010 Champion
Jan 2011 Champion
Dec 2011 Semi-finalist
Dec 2012 Did not play
Dec 2013 Semi-finalist
2015 Semi-finalist
Jan 2016 Champion
Dec 2016 Champion
2017 Did not play
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
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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TICKETS
Tickets start at Dh100 for adults, while children can enter free on the opening day. For more information, visit www.mubadalawtc.com.
Company profile
Name: One Good Thing
Founders: Bridgett Lau and Micheal Cooke
Based in: Dubai
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 5 employees
Stage: Looking for seed funding
Investors: Self-funded and seeking external investors
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
