<b>Live updates: follow the latest news on </b><a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/coronavirus/2021/11/29/omicron-live-updates-covid-variant-vaccine-test-cases-travel/"><b>Covid-19 variant Omicron</b></a> The <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/uae/" target="_blank">UAE</a> recorded 1,002 <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/government/2021/12/21/uae-public-urged-to-celebrate-holidays-responsibly-amid-rise-in-covid-19-cases/">new Covid-19 cases</a> on Thursday, its largest daily number since August. This brings the tally of infections to 746,557. Another 339 people beat <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/coronavirus/2021/12/01/omicron-variant-vaccine-test-cases-travel/">the virus</a> as the number of recoveries climbed to 739,616. The latest cases were identified as a result of an additional 365,269 PCR tests. Daily testing has increased over the past few weeks as the UAE intensifies its efforts to slow the spread of the virus. No deaths were reported, with the toll remaining at 2,154. Daily case numbers have risen sharply this month, from less than 50 in early December. But they are still considerably less than the peak in February of close to 4,000 a day. Mass testing and one of the world's fastest vaccination drives have helped the UAE curb the pandemic even as other countries are forced to reimpose restrictions as the Omicron variant took hold. Authorities in the UAE have urged people to <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/government/2021/12/21/uae-public-urged-to-celebrate-holidays-responsibly-amid-rise-in-covid-19-cases/" target="_blank">act responsibly</a> over Christmas. Officials asked people to wear masks, follow social-distancing rules and exercise caution at social occasions. “We call upon members of society to co-operate and adhere to preventive measures by committing to wearing masks, staying away from crowded places and maintaining personal hygiene,” said Dr Noura Al Ghaithi, a government spokeswoman, during a briefing on Tuesday. “It’s a social responsibility to preserve the gains that the country has made towards sustainable recovery.”
