<b>READ MORE: </b><a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/coronavirus/2021/07/06/coronavirus-latest-abu-dhabi-extends-quarantine-rules/"><b>All the latest Covid-19 news on our liveblog</b></a> The UAE reported 1,541 new coronavirus cases on Thursday after an additional 284,799 tests. The latest caseload brought the number of infections recorded since the start of the pandemic to 656,354. Five people died of Covid-related causes in the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to 1,885. Another 1,497 people overcame the virus, taking the number of recoveries to 634,272. More than 61.5 million PCR tests have now been conducted nationwide since the start of the outbreak. The vaccination programme is continuing at a rapid pace across the UAE, with more than 16 million doses administered. The National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority said 76 per cent of the UAE population has received at least the first dose, with 66 per cent of residents fully vaccinated. Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation warned <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/2021/07/14/risk-of-catastrophic-coronavirus-surge-in-middle-east-says-who/" target="_blank">a surge in coronavirus cases in several Middle East countries</a>, aggravated by the spread of the Delta strain and low vaccine access, could have dire consequences. After a decline in cases and deaths in the Eastern Mediterranean region for eight weeks, the WHO said there had been significant rises in infections for Libya, Iran, Iraq and Tunisia. Sharp rises were also expected in Lebanon and Morocco. <br/> <br/>
