Dubai fines home party organizer $13k, partygoers $4k for breaking COVID-19 rules

Dubai authorities have issued a fine of 50,000aed ($13,000) to the organizer of a private home party, while each partygoer was fined 15,000aed ($4,000) for violating COVID-19 precautionary measures, the Dubai Media Office announced on Tuesday.

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“Dubai Police, in cooperation with Dubai Tourism, issues fines of AED50,000 to the organizer and AED15,000 for every participant in a home private party for violating social distancing & COVID-19 precautionary measures,” the media office said in a tweet.

A video shared on Twitter showed blurred footage of people dancing to loud music in a dimmed house.

In January, authorities issued tighter restrictions on social gatherings, weddings, restaurants and gyms, amid a spike in COVID-19 cases.
Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management outlined the new rules which included reducing the number of attendees at social events, increasing the required distance between tables at restaurants and workout equipment at gyms.

Authorities limited the attendees for weddings, social events, and private parties to a maximum of 10 first-degree relatives only. This rule, which went into effect on January 27, was applied to all events whether held at hotels, venues, or homes.

Live entertainment permits for hotels and restaurants have also been suspended as a precautionary measure.

The daily number of infections in the United Arab Emirates, which includes Dubai, crossed the 3,000 threshold on January 12 and continued to climb, hitting nearly 4,000 daily cases. The daily toll has slightly dropped in recent days.

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