UAE Government holds news briefing on country’s health situation within the past 7 days

Dr. Omar Abdel-Rahman Al-Hammadi, the official spokesman for the media briefing, reviews some statistics and figures for the latest developments in the health status within the past 7 days from 2 to 8 December:

• A total of 791,739 Covid-19 test were conducted nationwide. The number of confirmed cases were 8,688, and the rate of positive cases out of the total number of tests remains 1.0%.

• The death rate during this period was 0.3%, which is the lowest in the world compared to the European Union, the Middle East and North Africa and the countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

• Pregnant women are not within the most vulnerable groups to develop complications according to the available data and studies, and Covid-19 does not pose a threat to them, their fetus or newborn child.

• We advise pregnant women to exercise caution, follow precautionary measures, and take vitamins and supplements according to the doctor’s instructions. They should eat a balanced diet that boosts their immunity while continuing physical exercise.

• Wearing a mask for a long time does not cause a decrease in the percentage of oxygen inside the body, nor does it cause a toxic accumulation of carbon dioxide gas as long as the mask is properly used and allows normal breathing.

• A study monitoring oxygen level in the blood of those suffering from respiratory problems, revealed that wearing masks does not affect the levels of oxygen or carbon dioxide during long periods of rest and short walks.

• We emphasize that wearing a mask protects those suffering from chronic lung diseases from infections that may impact their respiratory system, and emphasize that no person should wear a mask while suffering from acute shortness of breath for any reason.

• We note that wearing a mask during exercise, especially high intensity, may affect a person’s ability to breathe normally and may cause difficulty breathing with the accumulation of carbon dioxide gas inside the mask.

• Exercising increases rates of sweating, which makes the mask moist, and humidity may provide a fertile environment for germs to grow.

• We note that wearing a mask during high-intensity sports can put physiological pressure on the body, especially for those who suffer from diseases of the heart and lungs, and we recommend that you practice sports in places where there is physical spacing & good ventilation.