As the UAE recovers from the flooding caused by the most severe rains in the country’s history, risks can remain beyond damage to infrastructure.
Doctors and researchers say problems can arise from contaminated water, or when insects that lay their eggs in standing pools increase in number.
Some areas of the country recorded more than 250mm of rain in 24 hours, leading to severe flooding that caused disruption and took days to dissipate.
Heavy rains often flood sewerage systems, which can result in an increase in rates of viral or bacterial illnesses that cause diarrhoea or vomiting, said John Oxford, emeritus professor of virology at the University of London and author of a textbook titled Human Virology.
"If there’s a huge amount of water moving around, that gets into the sewage system," he said.
"If your house is flooded and there’s a couple of feet of water, the sewage system is going to be flooded into the general environment.
"If the sewage system is compromised … it will move into the garden and the next-door neighbour. Pretty soon everybody’s system is mixing with everybody else’s."
Conditioned for illness
Conditions such as typhoid, a potentially lethal illness caused by bacteria, are among those that may spread as a result of contaminated water, Prof Oxford said.
While such contaminated water does pose a risk, Dr Bharat Pankhania, a senior consultant in communicable disease control and a senior clinical lecturer at the University of Exeter in the UK, said that areas may not remain hazardous for long.
"[The UAE] has strong sunshine. That’s a lifesaver in that strong sunshine is a very good steriliser of bacteria and viruses," Dr Pankhania said.
Another key concern is that mosquitoes may lay eggs in standing water left behind by the rain, which could result in increased rates of disease.
"In stagnant water microbes and mosquitoes can breed," Dr Pankhania said. "You can have an upsurge in the population of mosquitoes."
Among the mosquito-spread diseases found in the UAE is dengue fever, a viral condition that causes fever, headache, vomiting and other symptoms, and for which immediate medical help is recommended.
Dengue fever is one condition that the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns can become more common after extreme weather.
The CDC says that the types of mosquitoes that spread viruses may become more common about a fortnight after a hurricane.
Disease spread from mosquitoes may take several more weeks to develop, according to the CDC.
The risks, the organisation says, are greater in areas that have received more rainfall than usual but have not actually flooded.
Dr Pankhania said that while some mosquitoes spread disease, many do not and so pose no risk of infection.
In the US and in US territories, for example, the CDC reports that there are more than 200 types of mosquitoes, but only a dozen spread pathogens.
While there could be an increase in some diseases, doctors say that the UAE is unlikely to see the emergence of illnesses that are not normally present at all.
"You will not get things you didn’t get before, but you can have more of what you used to have a few of before," Dr Pankhania said.
So conditions including malaria, which is not considered to be a threat in the UAE, are unlikely to emerge as a result of this week’s flooding.
Ian Jones, a professor of virology at the University of Reading in the UK, said that much of the floodwater in the UAE was likely to disappear fairly quickly.
That reduces the threat of mosquito eggs hatching to produce larvae that turn into pupae and then adult mosquitoes.
Dumped tyres or building sites are often seen as potential breeding grounds for mosquitoes, as they can contain standing water, but given that the UAE’s rainfall burst is not likely to be sustained for weeks, the dangers are lower.
"If it was constant flooding and it was likely to last for a month, it would be a different case," Prof Jones said.
"It will probably dry up pretty quickly. It has to be sitting out there for some time [to pose a risk]."
Emirates Health Service recommends the removal of standing water and covering water tanks to reduce dangers.
It also suggests wearing long-sleeved clothes and the use of insect repellants.
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
