Parties, Yachts and Performances: The mutations are spreading

But since tourism returned to Dubai, the numbers of those infected in Corona have also risen slowly. The indices there remained fairly stable throughout the fall season. However, the eve of the new civil year was a turning point. Dubai has become an attraction for many tourists from different countries who have imposed restrictions following the spread of the virus in their territory, and these have taken advantage of the freedom in Dubai – and celebrated in bars and yachts, and mostly – without masks.

In the last 17 days, the seven UAEs that make up the UAE have reported record numbers of coronary heart disease. Last day, for example, 3,962 new infections were diagnosed there and seven people died from corona. However, the significant increase in morbidity can be seen elsewhere: the queues at the test centers in the city, which are getting longer by the day. In the seven emirates, more than 180,000 tests were conducted last day.

According to data provided by the IDF to the AP news agency, more than 900 tourists who returned to Israel from Dubai were infected with the corona virus. Those returning from Dubai created infection chains of about 4,000 people, according to the data.

Even in Britain, where a mutation of the corona was found, the exit to Dubai was not stopped. The British tabloids were filled with pictures of net anchors and celebrities in swimsuits, celebrating in Dubai while their country goes from lock to lock. It was only in the middle of the month that Britain announced the definition of Dubai as “red” – and the abolition of the possibility of entering the country from the United Arab Emirates without entering isolation.

“Right now, trips around the world are not supposed to happen unless it’s absolutely essential,” British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said this week. “No more parties in Paris or weekends in Dubai. It’s not on the agenda, and in most cases it’s against the law.” Meanwhile, the UK has also expressed concern about the introduction of additional mutations into the country, whose distribution worldwide is linked to the statements. Accordingly, the UK announced yesterday that direct flights from Dubai would be banned for fear of an outbreak of the South African mutation.

In Denmark, which is about 4,800 km by air, it was also found infected with the South African mutation he returned from Dubai. Danish citizens are still in Dubai.

The Philippines announced earlier this month that a state citizen who had visited Dubai for business was found to be carrying the British mutation. “He was not exposed to the nationals before taking off for Dubai,” the Philippine Ministry of Health said. Since his diagnosis, another 16 infected British mutants have been discovered in the Philippines, including two who have returned from Lebanon.

Along with the various accusations made by the countries of the world in exporting the various mutations, Dubai is also struggling with increasing numbers of infections among the residents of the emirates, and also has to deal with questions about the ability of the hospitals there to withstand the loads.

The Dubai Ministry of Information refused to provide data on hospital occupancy, but clarified that the Emirates are doing as much as possible to treat the plague. “After a year of plague management, we can say with confidence that the current situation is under control, and that we have our plans to increase occupancy in the health system, if necessary,” the ministry said.

However, Nasser a-Sheikh, who previously headed the Dubai government’s Ministry of Economy, criticized Dubai’s handling of the current outbreak. “The leadership bases its decisions on recommendations from the staff, and the erroneous recommendations endanger human souls and adversely affect our society,” a-Sheikh wrote. He added that he thinks the responsibility for the outbreak stems from the opening up of the economy.

“The sad thing is that the great efforts made since January 2020 for us, are being destroyed by our own hands,” al-Sheikh noted. “What makes things worse is a lack of transparency.”

Against the backdrop of rising morbidity figures, the government in Dubai fired the head of the government health agency without providing explanations. In order to fight numbers, this week all live performances in bars were stopped, non-urgent surgeries were stopped and weddings were also restricted. The gyms, however, are still open – and overall they are required to provide more space for the trainees. All those entering Dubai are required to be checked into Corona at the airport.

In the UAE, hopes are now pinned on a widespread vaccination of the population. In Abu Dhabi, residents are being offered the Chinese vaccine of Sinopharm, while in Dubai they are being offered the Pfizer vaccine, similar to Israel. In the United Arab Emirates, two million and 800,000 vaccine doses have already been given, and it is located in second place in the world, not far from Israel, which ranks first in the number of vaccinators per 100 people.

But despite the vaccines, the wave of morbidity in Dubai raises significant questions regarding hospitals, which refuse to provide data and repeatedly refer to the government, which as mentioned refuses to respond. The Saudi-German hospital hinted in a response to a certain lack of transparency on behalf of the government. “We hope we read the real news,” they said, without adding details. The medical director at one of the hospitals said that half of the hospital beds are staffed by Corona patients.

These days, both the Dubai Ministry of Health and the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Health are posting jobs for brothers and sisters on Instagram. This, following allegations of lack of transparency expressed by citizens in the country, comes after the Emirates’ autocratic government only this week called on citizens who expressed concern “to refrain from questioning the efforts of those who worked to curb the plague”.