Daily total of cases hits record high for 4th day, recent rises attributed to ‘intensified investigation and increase in testing’ Kuwait records 530 cases and 1 death, Bahrain reports 209 cases and 1 death DUBAI: The UAE recorded 3,407 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, the fourth day in a row that the daily total has hit a new high. An additional seven people have died of virus-related causes. Officials from the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) said the total number of cases has reached 246,376, and the death toll stands at 733. A further 3,168 people recovered from the virus in the preceding 24 hours, bringing the total number of recoveries to 218,988. The ministry attributed the sharp rise in the number of cases over the past few days to “intensified investigation and examination procedures and an increase in testing at the state level.” Officials said that more than 138,000 people were vaccinated in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number that has received the first of the two doses that are required to about 1.66 million. Authorities in the UAE have said that they plan to vaccinate 50 percent of the population by April, with priority given to those over the age of 60 or suffering from chronic diseases. #Dubai Health Authority (@DHA_Dubai) continues its free vaccination drive, rolling out the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine across the city. The vaccine is being provided at 7 authorized centers. pic.twitter.com/1fbF5APr0W — Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) January 15, 2021 The Department of Social Services, in cooperation with Sharjah Medical District, said it has received 800,700 applications for the COVID-19 vaccine from senior citizens and individuals with disabilities and mental illnesses, and their families. The vaccinations will be administered in their homes in Sharjah. Afaf Al-Marri, the head of the department, said officials have been working to launch a number of initiatives designed to protect the health and safety of senior citizens since the pandemic began. He added that the launch of the home-vaccination service is one of the most important initiatives, designed to help some of the most vulnerable people. During daily inspection tours, Dubai Economy issued fines to nine commercial establishments for failing to adhere to COVID-19 precautions. Inspection teams found 732 businesses to be compliant. Abu Dhabi Media Office has released guidelines and a video explaining coronavirus precautions that should be taken when camping in the desert. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) said it aims to support efforts to overcome the exceptional global effects of the pandemic by “uniting and supporting all segments of society, adopting common humanitarian values and strengthening cooperation with various local and international entities to accelerate the process of digital transformation and automate procedures for customers and employees alike.” DEWA supports Dubai’s efforts to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, in cooperation with the public and private sector to keep society safe, and accelerate digital transformation for customers and employees.#DEWANews pic.twitter.com/NmDFRe9sra — DEWA | Official Page (@DEWAOfficial) January 15, 2021 The authority said it is using all of its capabilities and resources to support national efforts to slow the spread of the virus. Its efforts include providing logistical support to the health and community sectors in the emirate, and a large number of employees have volunteered to support those who provide the first line of defense against the disease. Saeed Mohammed Al-Tayer, DEWA’s managing director and CEO, said the “contribution of the authority’s employees embodies the highest forms of effective popular participation, cooperation, solidarity and community cohesion that characterizes the UAE.” Elsewhere, Kuwait reported 530 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to 156,964. The death toll rose to 947, with one additional death was reported in the previous 24 hours. تعلن #وزارة_الصحة⁩ عن تأكيد إصابة 530 حالة، وتسجيل 268 حالة شفاء، و حالة وفاة واحدة جديدة بـ ⁧#فيروس_كورونا_المستجدّ⁩ COVID-19 ، ليصبح إجمالي عدد الحالات 156,964 حالة pic.twitter.com/hWu7yOYPJs — وزارة الصحة - الكويت (@KUWAIT_MOH) January 15, 2021 In Bahrain, one death was reported, raising the death toll to 357, while 209 new infected cases were confirmed. Out of 10685 COVID-19 tests carried out on 15 January 2021, 209 new cases have been detected among 97 expatriate workers, 104 new cases are contacts of active cases, and 8 are travel related. There were 397 recoveries from #COVID19, increasing total recoveries to 93726 pic.twitter.com/tpnxkJ8MzA — وزارة الصحة | مملكة البحرين (@MOH_Bahrain) January 15, 2021