COVID-19: Updates from UAE government media briefing

As many as 791,739 COVID-19 tests were carried out in the UAE between December 2 and December 8, which helped identify 8,688 new cases.

A total of 4,628 patients recovered during the same period, while 20 others died. The fatality rate of 0.3 per cent is among the lowest in the world

The figures were revealed during the UAE government's latest media briefing on Tuesday.

The death rate during this period was 0.3%, which is the lowest in the world compared to all of the European Union, the Middle East and North Africa and the countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. #CommitToWin

— NCEMA UAE (@NCEMAUAE) December 8, 2020

Spokesperson Dr. Omar Al Hammadi reassured pregnant women that COVID-19 does not pose a threat to them or the foetus, citing official data and studies, but he advised them to exercise caution, follow precautionary measures and take vitamins and supplements instructed by doctors.

Pregnant women are not within the most vulnerable groups to develop complications according to the available data and studies, and #Covid19 does not pose a threat to them, their fetus or newborn child. #CommitToWin

— NCEMA UAE (@NCEMAUAE) December 8, 2020

We advise pregnant women to exercise caution, follow precautionary measures and take vitamins and supplements according to the instructions of doctors. They should eat a balanced diet that boosts their immunity while continuing physical exercise. #CommitToWin

— NCEMA UAE (@NCEMAUAE) December 8, 2020

Dr. Al Hammadi reiterated that wearing a mask protects those suffering from chronic lung diseases from infections that may impact their respiratory system, but emphasised that no person should wear a mask while suffering from acute shortness of breath.

He also urged people to practice sports activities in places where there is adequate physical spacing and good ventilation, as wearing a mask during high-intensity sports can put physiological pressure on the body, especially for those who suffer from diseases of the heart and lungs.

A study monitoring oxygen level in the blood of those suffering from respiratory problems, revealed that wearing masks does not affect the levels of oxygen or carbon dioxide during long periods of rest and short walks. #CommitToWin

— NCEMA UAE (@NCEMAUAE) December 8, 2020

We note that wearing a mask during exercise, especially high intensity, may affect a person’s ability to breathe normally and may cause difficulty breathing with the accumulation of carbon dioxide gas inside the mask.
#CommitToWin

— NCEMA UAE (@NCEMAUAE) December 8, 2020

We note that wearing a mask during high-intensity sports can put physiological pressure on the body, especially for those who suffer from diseases of the heart and lungs, and we recommend that you practice sports in places where there is physical spacing & good ventilation.

— NCEMA UAE (@NCEMAUAE) December 8, 2020