UAE TESTS MORE THAN 2.5m FOR COVID-19
Milestone comes as authorities call on public to act responsibly
The UAE has carried out more than 2.5 million Covid-19 tests since the outbreak began.
Officials announced the significant milestone yesterday after revealing that 52,996 new tests had been conducted.
The latest tests identified 626 new coronavirus cases, bringing the country’s total to 38,268.
Another 724 patients made full recoveries, for a total of 21,061. The death toll rose to 275 after one patient died.
Speaking at the UAE’s regular media briefing, Dr Farida Al Hosani, spokeswoman for the health sector, urged residents to continue to act responsibly and adhere to safety measures as restrictions on trade and travel are gradually lifted across the Emirates.
Families were told they must play a “pivotal role” in spreading the word – particularly to younger relatives – over the crucial importance of abiding by measures such as social distancing and the wearing of face masks when outside.
Scientists and manufacturers in the Emirates are leading the way as the country embraces technology and innovation to help tackle the threat of coronavirus.
The Abu Dhabi Stem Cell Centre announced yesterday it had invested Dh3.6 million to arm medics with a cutting-edge new weapon in the fight against the pandemic. The Helios Mass Cytometer, the only such device in use in the Middle East, will enable scientists at the centre to quickly and accurately profile individual human cells, allowing them to study and monitor a patient’s immune response to the virus.
Meanwhile, Dubai Future Foundation unveiled a prototype ventilator that was developed in the UAE to treat Covid-19 patients.
Named M061, it was designed and built over eight weeks by a team of UAE-based and international engineers, programmers and industry experts.
The project was initiated under the directives of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, to address the urgent need for large numbers of mechanical ventilators.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia reported its biggest daily increase in cases yesterday, taking its total to 98,869. The Ministry of Health said the capital Riyadh recorded 900 of the 3,121 new infections, while Jeddah, where a lockdown was reimposed on Friday, had the second highest increase with 572 cases.
India also reported a record surge yesterday, with 10,270 new reported cases as it overtook Italy as the world’s sixth-biggest outbreak.
Scientists in Abu Dhabi have unveiled new technology that could provide vital support to doctors treating Covid-19.
Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre has invested Dh3.6 million on a Helios mass cytometer, a state-of-the-art tool that experts say will provide vital data needed to bolster the body’s defence against the virus.
The cytometer, the only one in the Middle East, will enable scientists to profile individual human cells quickly and accurately, giving them a detailed picture of patients’ immune response to the virus.
“With this tool, the ADSCC can study clinical outcomes and changes in inflammatory or immune function from blood samples of Covid-19 patients,” an ADSCC representative said.
“This will allow us to address some of the pressing questions that remain unanswered regarding Covid-19.’’
Staff at the centre are currently receiving training on the operation of the new machine, which they have affectionately nicknamed “The Lamborghini’’.
The centre has introduced a new treatment for the effects of Covid-19 which has proved fruitful for patients with severe symptoms.
It involves isolating and activating stem cells taken from the patient’s blood, then nebulising them into a fine mist so they can be inhaled.
The first UAE patient to recover from Covid-19 after undergoing the treatment told
The National last month of his gruelling journey to “full health” after being placed in a coma to stop his organs shutting down.
Abdullahi Rodhile, 50, from Somalia, contracted the virus on March 30 and his health deteriorated quickly.
The virus attacked his kidneys and lungs so badly that he was put into an induced coma for 20 days.
“I was brought back to life. I was dead and now I am alive,” said Mr Rodhile, a cargo clerk.
“I have never been better. Thank God.”
He spent 40 days in intensive care at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City. Only after he started the stem cell therapy did his lungs begin to improve slightly.
Abu Dhabi Stem Cell Centre said yesterday it will begin offering Minimal Residual Disease tests for cancer patients – a first in the UAE.
The test allows physicians to spot residual, potentially resistant cells that can lead to a relapse in patients.