The United Arab Emirates detected 674 new cases of the novel coronavirus after conducting over 86,000 tests, which brings the total number of confirmed infections in the country to 80,940, the Ministry of Health and Prevention announced on Tuesday. Two people died due to complications caused by COVID-19, raising the virus-related death toll in the country to 401. There were 777 new cases recorded on Monday. Meanwhile, the total number of recoveries climbed to 70,635 after 654 people recovered from the coronavirus. Employees at UAE federal departments and ministries could face a 10-day salary cut for flouting COVID-19 safety guidelines. The list of fines come in a circular issued by the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources to ensure greater compliance to rules set to contain coronavirus and safeguard public health. The UAE had on Monday night announced that emergency approval was issued for the use of a COVID-19 vaccine, currently in its third phase of testing in the Gulf country. "The vaccine will be available to our first line of defense heroes who are at the highest risk of contracting the virus," said the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority in a tweet. — Agencies
