UAE sees worst coronavirus infection rate since September as Omicron cases soar

Coronavirus cases in the UAE jumped to their worst level for months during a global uptick in infections caused by the new Omicron variant.

The Gulf nation reported 551 new Covid-19 infections on Sunday - the highest rate since 16 September, when 564 cases were identified.

Since zero cases were reported on Saturday, it appears likely that many of these Sunday infections were from a day earlier. This would mean the UAE had an average of 275.5 infections across those two days.

By Monday, the UAE's new daily infections were at 301, the worst rate since 25 September. This is likely to cause much concern in a country where over 91 percent of the population is fully vaccinated and around a third have received a booster jab.

Infections, which peaked at almost 4,000 new cases a day in January, had sat at under 100 since late October and were in the high 40s and 50s early this month, although this number rose to 114 on 5 December.

One person was reported dead with Covid-19 on Monday in the UAE - the first in nearly two weeks.

The UAE's low death rate comes despite the country, which is currently hosting the Expo 2020 Dubai World's Fair, not imposing strict restrictions on public life.

The announcement came on Monday as cases of the Omicron variant continue to spike around the worldhttps://t.co/U5t24duJyG

— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) December 20, 2021

It is unknown how many of the UAE's new Covid-19 cases are of the Omicron variant as the country does not provide this data, according to news agency Bloomberg.

The UAE identified its first Omicron infection earlier in December.

A couple in the Indian state of Kerala were identified as having Omicron on Friday after recently coming from the UAE, according to The Indian Express news website.

The pair, who are in their sixties, tested positive for Covid-19 on 11 December.