The UAE government has reassured the public that the general health situation of the country should not be a cause for concern, especially that a 15-percent increase has been noted in the number of COVID-19 recoveries between October 7-13.
Only 1 percent increase has been recorded in the total COVID-19 cases. The government stressed that the increase in the number of testing may have played a role in this minimal increase. In the previous week, 793,642 COVID-19 tests were performed across the emirates. This is a nine percent increase compared to the week before.
Meanwhile, during a media briefing on October 13, Dr. Omar Al Hammadi, Official Spokesperson of the UAE Government, emphasized the importance of taking care of one’s mental health.
The COVID-19 pandemic, he said, has affected mental and social health in the world, and has created a new psychological situation for individuals in different communities due to social distancing and home quarantines. This should be improved as studies revealed that negative mental health can make individuals vulnerable to viruses and weaken the body’s long-term immunity. Chronic negative mental health, for example, can increase cortisone levels, which will make people vulnerable to viruses, according to Dr. Al Hammadi.
“Psychological pressure may expose individuals to cardiac diseases, stomach ulcers, tumours and psoriasis. Therefore, individuals should take care of their mental health and their surroundings,” WAM quoted Al Hammadi as saying.
He also noted the importance of protecting people who are suffering from mental illness, such as depression and insomnia, as well as supporting those in quarantine who contracted the virus, through remote communication.
Al Hammadi said that words of encouragement have a positive effect on everyone while negativity may lead to negative implications.
