Disinfection drive could return if cases continue to rise: UAE official

The UAE disinfection drive could be reinstated if the number of COVID-19 cases continue to rise.

That's according to Dr Saif Al Dhaheri, spokesman for National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority (NCEMA), who said the country is prepared for any scenario to ensure case numbers do not continue to rise.

In an interview with Emirates TV, he said they could "reinstate the national disinfection programme in areas that have recorded a high number of COVID-19 cases," while stressing the importance of "breaking the chain".

This comes as the UAE witnessed a marked increase in the number of coronavirus cases in the last two weeks, which authorities blamed on non-compliance of precautionary measures outlined by the country.

د. سيف الظاهري المتحدث الرسمي للهيئة الوطنية لإدارة الطوارئ والأزمات والكوارث في برنامج العالم في مواجهة كورونا#نلتزم_لننتصر #CommitToWin pic.twitter.com/Gv9oTtoaOc

— NCEMA UAE (@NCEMAUAE) August 20, 2020

"We do not want to go backwards in our fight to combat COVID-19," added Dr Al Dhaheri.

"We need everyone to continue adhering to the precautions in place in order for us to reduce (the) cases to zero."

We stress the importance of following precautionary measures. The first of which is physical distancing and avoiding visits and gatherings, which may be a primary factor in any increase in the number of cases.#CommitToWin #نلتزم_لننتصر pic.twitter.com/HprdJmsBqs

— NCEMA UAE (@NCEMAUAE) August 20, 2020

The nation-wide disinfection drive was lifted on June 24, with commercial businesses gradually reopening under strict health and safety guidelines.