Coronavirus: Number of new UAE COVID-19 cases reaches record high

The United Arab Emirates announced another record number of new detected COVID-19 cases as the virus continues to spread.

State News Agency WAM reported that 3,491 new cases had been recorded in the last 24 hours, bringing the country's total to 260,223.

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Five patients died of COVID-19 related complications, bringing the UAE's total death toll to 756.

The second-highest number of new cases in one day on record is Monday's 3,471.

In the face of steadily-climbing case numbers, the country continues to roll out its mass vaccination program.

On Sunday it was announced that the minimum age for vaccination would be lowered from 18 to 16.

Citizens and residents are being offered China's Sinopharm vaccine for free across the seven emirates, while Dubai is offering a choice between the Sinopharm and Pfizer/BioNTech inoculations.

Federal authorities plan to inoculate 50 percent of the country's population in the next year, while Dubai health authorities announced in December that the emirate plans to vaccinate 70 percent of its population with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in that time.

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