The latest steps taken by the UAE to combat COVID -19

The UAE announced 461 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 65,802 and totally 58,153 people had recovered from the virus, total number of deaths is 369 as of August 20. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai reviewed the country's 50-year economic plan that aims to achieve a qualitative leap. The plan covers five tenets - create an integrated economy; develop entrepreneurship and SMEs; build up tourism and foreign direct investments; and double exports, as well as attract and retain talent.

The UAE announced 461 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 65,802 and totally 58,153 people had recovered from the virus, total number of deaths is 369 as of August 20.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai reviewed the countrychr("39")s 50-year economic plan that aims to achieve a qualitative leap. The plan covers five tenets - create an integrated economy; develop entrepreneurship and SMEs; build up tourism and foreign direct investments; and double exports, as well as attract and retain talent.

Passenger capacity on UAE airlines is now at the 40-50 percent or over mark on average as the carriers bring back more routes to their networks. Booking enquiries have shot up after UAE said an approval from the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) will no longer be required for residents returning to the country. Plus, Dubai is seeing benefits from allowing foreign visitors from July 7 onwards.

The UAE announced that a "strategic commercial agreement" to cooperate on research and development related to the coronavirus pandemic, including a testing device, has been signed between the Emirati APEX National Investment company and Israelchr("39")s Tera Group.

The UAE today sent 13 metric tons of medical supplies and testing kits to 14 Pacific Island countries, including: Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Cook Islands, and Niue to assist medical professionals.

His Highness Al Maktoum has ordered urgent humanitarian aid to be dispatched to Sudan to support the countrychr("39")s efforts in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. The relief shipments, which include 14 tonnes of medical supplies and 20 tonnes of food supplies, were dispatched from the International Humanitarian City in Dubai.

The UAE sent tens of millions of dirhams worth of aid to Lebanon. President Sheikh Khalifa donated 12 metric tons of protective equipment to safeguard against Covid-19. The equipment will support more than 10,000 front-line medical staff in Lebanon.