The UAE reported 998 new <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/coronavirus/2021/12/01/omicron-variant-vaccine-test-cases-travel/">Covid-19</a> cases on Friday, the lowest number of daily cases since June 8. An additional 244,993 tests were carried out in the past 24 hours. This brings the overall tally of infections since the coronavirus pandemic began in January 2020 to 996,775. Two coronavirus-related deaths were reported, taking the overall number of fatalities to 2,337. Another 989 people beat <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/health/2022/01/28/how-a-dh25-covid-19-drug-helped-to-save-a-million-lives/">the virus</a>, as total recoveries rose to 975,590. The number of active cases in the country stands at 18,848. More than 178 million PCR tests have been conducted since the start of the pandemic. Daily figures have declined steadily last month and into this month, after a surge of infections in late June and early July. Case numbers topped 1,800 on July 3 — having dropped below 200 in early May — but now remain at fewer than 1,500 a day. Last month, it was announced that some <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/abu-dhabi/">Abu Dhabi</a> pharmacies are now allowed to provide Covid-19 vaccines and PCR tests. The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi said the Sinopharm vaccine will be provided free of charge to those who are eligible and over the age of 18. PCR tests will be offered at pharmacies for Dh40 ($10.9) under the programme that came into force last week. This is the same price as paid at testing centres.