Dubai shuts bars, reduce other activities to 70% capacity as COVID-19 soar
Dubai on Monday ordered bars to close until the end of the month to suppress a spike in coronavirus cases, after tourists flocked to the emirate over the holiday period.
The closures, effective from Tuesday, are among a raft of steps “taken in response to rising violations of preventive measures,” authorities said in a statement.
Indoor venues, including cinemas and sports venues, will have their capacity cut by half.
Hotels, swimming pools and private beaches must operate at 70 percent of capacity. Dubai’s vast shopping malls must also reduce visitors to 70 percent of usual traffic.
Restaurants and cafes are required to close by 1.00 am.
“Penalties will be strictly imposed on anyone found posing a risk to public health by deliberately disregarding preventive measures or not observing them properly,” the Crisis and Disaster Management committee said.
Dubai has sought to manage the pandemic without closing its doors, and reopened to tourism in July.
But while masks and social distancing are mandatory, it has not prevented a sharp increase in cases in the new year.
Guidelines have been gradually tightened over recent days, and non-essential surgery in hospitals has been suspended
