DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – The Dubai Department of Tourism announced Thursday the immediate suspension of all live entertainment in hotels and restaurants, the day after suspending non-urgent surgery in hospitals to deal with a flow of patients with COVID -19.
Both decisions come after months of Dubai promoting itself as the ideal holiday for pandemics while coronavirus infections skyrocketed. Now the check is showing signs of tension.
Even with cases reaching levels never seen in the United Arab Emirates, the city-state of Dubai sought to be an oasis in the desert for tourists fleeing confinement at home. Since reopening in the spring, the shopping center has resisted further restrictions that would affect its economy, based mainly on aviation, hospitality and retail.
In addition to the ubiquitous outdoor masks, a sense of pre-pandemic normality prevailed in the city. Bands, dancers and DJs performed in bars and clubs for socially distant crowds. Hotel occupancy rates increased by more than 70% in December, approaching 2019 holiday levels. The city’s airport welcomed more than 70,000 travelers over the New Year weekend alone.
Soon, countries like the United Kingdom and Israel, which sent crowds to Dubai during the winter holidays, closed their travel corridors, citing the alarm about the rise in infections in the United Arab Emirates. As early as Tuesday, the sheikh’s government media office insisted strongly that things were under control. In a note, the emirate said that “it continues to maintain the highest levels of protection against the pandemic and observance of preventive measures”.
But on Thursday, the Dubai tourism department announced that “it has observed, through field inspection, an increase in the number of violations during entertainment activities”.
Although bars and restaurants remain open for the time being, the Dubai media office said it would stop issuing new entertainment permits to places in place immediately to ensure “public health and safety”. The office said it has issued more than 200 violations for “non-compliance” with COVID-19 guidelines and has closed 20 establishments in the past few weeks.
In a circular sent to business partners, the Dubai tourism department said the ban only applies to live bands in restaurants, bars and beach clubs and that private events and wedding parties, currently with a maximum of 200 people , can continue normally. The statement said that failure to comply with health measures would result in “serious action” without giving further details. There was no deadline for the resumption of entertainment activities.
The pandemic shows no signs of abating. The United Arab Emirates broke its infection record for the 10th consecutive day on Thursday, with 3,529 cases reported. The country does not disclose infection location data, making it difficult to determine where in the federation of seven sheikdoms it has been hit hardest by the virus.
With its well-equipped health centers and 90% of its population made up of relatively young and healthy expatriates, the United Arab Emirates has so far avoided the chaotic scenes of crowded hospitals seen elsewhere. The country recorded more than 267,000 infections and 766 deaths.
The United Arab Emirates launched the second fastest vaccination campaign against the coronavirus in the world, behind Israel alone. The country, which offers the vaccine manufactured by Chinese state-owned company Sinopharm to everyone over 16, says it plans to vaccinate more than half the population of 9 million by the end of March.
On Thursday, the United Arab Emirates also approved the Russian Sputnik V vaccine for emergency use, citing “results of its effectiveness”, without giving details. Other countries are reluctant to approve Chinese and Russian vaccines, saying their effectiveness announcements lack reliable data and other critical details.
Dubai also offers the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which has been approved by Western regulators with an efficacy rate of around 95%. But, due to supply restrictions, it is only available to residents over 60 and those with chronic health conditions.
Dozens of residents hoping to get the Pfizer-BioNtech jab fell on Dubai’s World Trade Center on Thursday after a state-run newspaper published a report saying the center accepted visits, regardless of age and other priority criteria. Some seemed willing to wait for hours, even as Emirati health officials in traditional dress tried to get them to leave.
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Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai contributed to this report.