Another 883 new cases of Covid-19 were identified across the UAE on Wednesday – the highest number of daily infections since May 27.
The latest cases were detected after 86,917 additional tests, raising the infections tally to 75,981.
Authorities said 416 people recovered from the virus, adding to a tally of 67,359.
Two patients died during the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 393.
The number of active cases across the Emirates now stands at 8,229.
Daily figures dropped as low as 164 in early August but have steadily been climbing since. The highest number of daily cases reported in the Emirates since the outbreak was 994 on May 22. A total of 883 cases were confirmed five days later on May 27.
The UAE is among the top countries for Covid-19 testing per capita, having carried out almost 7.8 million tests since January.
On Tuesday, authorities renewed their warning against social gatherings after a Covid-19 carrier's "reckless behaviour" resulted in 45 others being infected.
The man displayed symptoms but did not report his condition to health officials, said Dr Omar Al Hammadi, the federal government's spokesman said at the regular media briefing.
The man infected his wife and 44 others from three families after socialising with them.
One of the man's relatives, aged 90, had underlying health conditions and died of complications after being admitted to the intensive care unit of a hospital, Dr Al Hammadi said.
“The reckless behaviour of such individuals is the reason for setbacks. Everyone is responsible. We should follow all precautionary measures and avoid gatherings that can put us and the community at risk."
The five pillars of Islam
Vaccine Progress in the Middle East
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
