Dubai replaces health chief amid virus surge

Dubai is determined to keep its tourism-dependent economy open, despite a coronavirus surge

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Dubai has fired its health chief as the tourism-dependent emirate faces surging coronavirus cases. 

Awad Saghir Al Ketbi replaced Humaid al-Qutam as director general of the Dubai Health Authority, the Dubai Media Office announced on Sunday.

No reason was given for the replacement of Mr al-Qutam, who had held the position since 2018, but the United Arab Emirates has reported record high infections for the past 14 days, including a record 3,591 new cases on Monday. 

Despite the surging cases, Dubai is reluctant to shut down again, as its economy as a transport hub relies on tourism and trade.

Since reopening to tourism last July the city state has billed itself as an ideal pandemic getaway, attracting British influencers and making it a leading holiday destination. 

But Dubai’s police chief has said that private house parties and family gatherings – rather than the rowdy nightlife the city is renowned for – were responsible for the surge in coronavirus cases. 

“There are parties in which the number is limited to 20 or 40 people but we find 80,” Abdullah Al Marri said in remarks carried by local media on Sunday. “This is unacceptable behaviour.”

As cases have surged, Dubai has introduced restrictions short of another lockdown, including increasing social distancing from two metres to three and reducing the number of people allowed to sit together in restaurants from 10 to seven. 

But it is now banking on a speedy roll out of the UAE’s vaccination programme to control the virus.

Since December, authorities have given over 2.5 million first doses of the vaccine and plan to have vaccinated half the population of 10 million by the end of March. 

Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s oil-rich capital with a massive sovereign wealth fund, has an economy less dependent on tourism and has maintained stricter measures to contain the coronavirus, including requiring a negative PCR test not older than 48 hours to enter the emirate from Dubai or abroad.

Meanwhile UAE neighbour Oman announced on Sunday it would extend the closure of its land borders for another week after they were shut last week to limit the spread of the virus.