UAE cases, deaths spike after holidays
500% RISE IN INFECTIONS AFTER EID AL ADHA LAST YEAR
The UAE recorded a significant rise in Covid-19 infections and deaths following the last three holidays — Eid Al Fitr, New Year’s Eve and Eid Al Adha last year, studies showed.
In a media briefing yesterday, Dr Farida Al Hosani, official spokesperson of the UAE health sector, said that daily cases rose by 2,000 on average after Eid Al Fitr celebrations in May, an increase of 60 per cent. Daily deaths increased by 100 per cent to six.
Similarly, average daily cases rose by over 200 per cent to 3,700 after New Year’s Eve, while daily deaths rose by 300 per cent to 16.
Following Eid Al Adha last year, Dr Al Hosani said that average daily cases increased by 500 per cent to 1,400.
Urging residents to follow Covid-19 protocols during the Eid Al Adha break this year, Al Hosani said: “Multiple government departments have come together to keep you safe; you need to do your part by following all Covid safety rules.”
Eid prayers at mosques
The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) yesterday said that Eid Al Adha prayers will be limited to 15 minutes at mosques and musallahs this years.
They will open 15 minutes before prayers and close immediately after.
Announcing protocols to be followed by worshippers, Taher Al Ameri, spokesperson for NCEMA, said: The UAE is pressing ahead towards sustainable recovery. Today, we see the gradual return of activities to normality.”
Worshippers are required to bring their own prayer rugs, and not greet each other with handshakes and hugs.
Residents have also been urged to avoid family visits and gatherings. “Celebrations must be restricted to members of the same family who live in the same house,” Al Ameri said.
20,114 active cases
The UAE, which currently has 20,114 active cases, recorded an average of 2,000 daily cases in June. This month, daily cases have stayed below 1,600 thanks to a robust vaccination drive.
The UAE has administered over 16.04 million vaccine doses, with a distribution rate of 162.20 doses per 100 people — the highest in the world. Over 76 per cent of UAE residents have received at least one dose, while more than 66 per cent are fully vaccinated.
Fares on routes from Dubai to all major Pakistani cities have skyrocketed as expats rush back home for the long Eid break.
The UAE has declared that the Eid Al Adha and Arafat day holidays for ministries and federal entities will be from July 19 to July 22. This translates into a sixday long break and passengers seem to be counting on the fact that return flights from Pakistan to Dubai will become available on July 21 — a date confirmed by Emirates and Etihad.
A flight to Karachi, Pakistan’s most populous city, can set passengers back by Dh4,000 to Dh6,000. Lahore comes in cheaper at around Dh1,300, while Islamabad can cost anywhere between Dh800 to Dh1,500.
The surge in ticket prices could also be attributed to restrictions on foreign airlines operating to Pakistan. PCAA (Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority) has curtailed inbound international flight operations to 20 per cent of the actual summer 2021 schedule up to July 15.
Schedules on booking websites show that Emirates, flydubai, and Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways are only operating flights to Karachi at the moment. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) seems to be connecting Dubai and Abu Dhabi to all other major cities.
A potential move by Pakistan to restrict anyone from entering the country without a Covid-19 vaccination certification could be a double whammy for airlines operating the route.
Huge impact
The National Command Operation Centre, which oversees the country’s pandemic response, recommended that anyone who does not hold a Covid-19 vaccination certificate should not be allowed to travel by air after August 1.
However, some experts believe it will not have a huge impact on travel demand.
“Travel demand will remain high because it is a free of cost thing and widely available in Pakistan, considering the vaccination programme being introduced by the state,” said Fahad Masood, a Pakistan-based aviation analyst.
Any hopes of a revival in travel will include the resumption of flights from Pakistan to Dubai, which are at the moment suspended amid a spike in ‘Delta’ variant cases.