Indian nationals advised against visiting Dubai consulate amid spike in COVID-19 cases in city
Dubai: India's consulate in Dubai has issued an advisory to Indian nationals to avoid visiting the mission unless it is absolutely necessary and instead make use of various electronic platforms amidst a spike in COVID-19 cases in the city.
Dubai has witnessed a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in the past weeks.
The gleaming city had faced criticism globally for reopening businesses and easing curfews to attract tourists during the peak year-end holiday season.
Members of the Indian community who wish to visit the Consulate for any consular services are advised to avoid such visits unless absolutely necessary," the India mission said in the advisory posted on Twitter.
"They should, instead, make use of the various electronic platforms offered by the Consulate without having to physically visit the office, it said.
Being the largest expatriate community, it said, it is the responsibility of all the Indian nationals residing in the UAE to strictly comply with COVID preventive measures and guidelines issued by the country's health authorities from time to time such as wearing face masks at all times, maintaining social distancing, avoiding public gatherings etc.
The Indian Consulate in Dubai provides its services to more than 2.6 million Indians living in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain, the Gulf News reported.
The UAE reported 3,525 new cases of coronavirus on Thursday, bringing the total number of diagnosed cases in the country to 339,667. It has reported 974 deaths so far.
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Pakistan reports two more polio cases; Total tally now 52
ISLAMABAD: At least two more cases of poliovirus were reported in Pakistan, taking the number of infections to 52 so far this year, a report said on Friday.
“The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed the detection of two more wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases in Pakistan," an official statement said.
The fresh infections — a boy and a girl — were reported from the Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
“Genetic sequencing of the samples collected from the children is underway," the statement read. Dera Ismail Khan, one of the seven polio-endemic districts of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has reported five polio cases so far this year.
Of the 52 cases in the country this year, 24 are from Balochistan, 13 from Sindh, 13 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.
There is no cure for polio. Only multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five can keep them protected.
