The United Arab Emirates confirmed on Monday 398 coronavirus cases, raising the total number of cases in the country up to 4,521, according to the ministry of health.

The ministry of health said that the high number was detected in conjunction with widening the scope of testing in the country.

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Health Ministry Spokeswoman Dr. Farida al-Hosani had said on Sunday that the number of confirmed cases has been increasing almost daily as a result of the high number of tests being administered, which helps identify those who are infected as well as people they came into contact with and therefore making it easier to quarantine and contain.

The ministry had announced earlier in the day 172 new coronavirus recoveries over the past 24 hours, raising the total number of patients who recovered from the COVID-19 virus to 852 people. Meanwhile, the death toll reached 25 after three new fatalities were recorded.

Coronavirus treatment

The UAE has been using chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine to successfully treat COVID-19 patients amid the coronavirus outbreak, according to the health ministry.

Initial studies have shown success in using the anti-malarial and anti-inflammatory drugs in treating the illness caused by the new coronavirus, spokeswoman al-Hosani said on Saturday during a press conference.

Doctors in the UAE continue to monitor of the affect the drugs have on reducing the duration of a patient’s illness and the severity of their symptoms, explained al-Hosani.

Also, Dubai's health authority (DHA) said on Sunday it will start this week treating critical coronavirus patients using plasma from recovered patients, after the clinical efficacy of the treatment has been proven.

The Director of Dubai Health Care Corporation at the Dubai Health Authority, Dr. Younis Kazim, said the authority has introduced a protocol for this type of treatment in its hospitals and private health sector hospitals in Dubai, as part of the measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus and accelerate the treatment of patients.

Dr. Kazim added that the DHA outlined rules and guidelines to specify who can make based plasma donations and who is eligible to receive this treatment.

Plasma is the liquid part of the blood which carries cells and proteins through the body, when taken from a convalescent – someone who has recovered from an illness – it contains antibodies that can fight said illness.

“Doctors believe the plasma of patients who have completely recovered from COVID-19 is rich in antibodies that can fight off the virus. When such plasma is injected into another person with the disease, it will recognize the virus as something to attack,” Dr. Kazim added.

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Last Update: Wednesday, 20 May 2020 KSA 09:57 - GMT 06:57