UAE launches disinfection campaign, curbs transport
The UAE Ministry of Health Prevention (MOHAP) and the Ministry of Interior (MOI) have announced, in collaboration with relevant federal and local authorities, the “National Disinfection Programme” which entails a complete sterilisation of all public utilities, public transport and metro services during the weekend.
The programme will begin at 08:00pm on Thursday and ends at 06:00am on Sunday.
More than 488,900 people have been infected by the novel coronavirus across the world and 22,095 have died, according to a Reuters tally on Thursday.
During this period, the movement of the traffic and the public will be restricted, while public transportation and metro services will be halted, while private cars and delivery vehicles can operate outside those hours. Only essential service workers would be allowed out and violators will face fines.
Further to the decision of the MOHAP and MOI, the National Media Council (NMC) has decided to allow a maximum of 30 per cent of the workforce of each non-government media outlet to work across the day during the disinfection period with all necessary procedures to be taken to ensure compliance to the decision.
NMC calls upon all media institutions to dedicate all their professional and technical resources to educate the public in all languages on the new procedures to ensure safety of the society and its protection.
NMC also urges all non-government media personnel to carry their media ID cards during the disinfection period.
Earlier in the day, the UAE Ministry of Human
Resources & Emiratisation and the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, have announced exemption of labourers whose work permits have expired from the medical tests.
Work permits and residence visas will be issued and renewed automatically for labourers employed by companies and support service staff such as domestic workers as part of precautionary measures taken by the UAE to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The central bank of the uae (cbuae) has directed banks to replenish ATMS with new banknotes of all denominations and to ensure the availability during the salary payment cycle this month.
According to a press release, the move is in line with the efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus and to ensure the health and safety of bank customers.
The CBUAE has also advised banks to immediately implement additional preventive measures regarding the ATM usage, such as sanitising all ATMS on a regular basis and providing preventive equipment (disposable latex gloves) to all customers while using the ATMS at all times.
Meanwhile, the Sharjah Public Libraries, an affiliate of the Sharjah Book Authority, has announced that it will be offering global readers from all age groups free access to its “Digital
Library” for three months.
Valid from April to June 2020, the free access will offer global readers more than six million ebooks and electronic resources in more than 10 languages.
The Indian government extended the ban on all international flight operations till April 14 to contain the spread of COVID-19.
The restriction will not apply to international cargo operations and flights, which have specifically been approved by it.
At present, domestic flight operations are banned till March 31.
Nine doctors have died in the Philippines from the coronavirus, the country’s top medical association said, as hospitals were overwhelmed and medics complained about a lack of protection on the frontlines.
Global job losses from the coronavirus crisis could far exceed the 25 million estimated just days ago, UN officials said on Thursday, as US jobless claims surged to record levels, starkly showing the scale of the economic disaster.
The International Labour Organisation, a UN agency, had estimated a week ago that, based on different scenarios for the impact of the pandemic on growth, the global ranks of the jobless would rise by between 5.3 million and 24.7 million.
Saudi Arabia has released 250 foreign detainees held on immigration and residency offences as part of efforts to contain the spread of the disease, the state-backed Human Rights Commission said on Thursday. Bahrain and Kuwait have also announced prisoner releases.
Sterilisation campaign to take place till Sunday; NMC limits staff presence at media offices to 30%; residence visas to be renewed automatically for labourers; banks told to replenish ATMS with new notes; India extends ban on flights.