ABU DHABI — The United Arab Emirates on Saturday reported 283 new cases of the novel coronavirus after conducting over 77,000 tests. It raises the total number of infections in the country to 64,102, the ministry of health and prevention announced.

Two persons died due to complications caused by COVID-19, bringing the total number of virus-related deaths in the country to 361.

Meanwhile, the number of recoveries in the UAE rose to 57,571 after 98 people recovered from the coronavirus.

Authorities have said that the world's first Phase III trials of an inactivated vaccine for COVID-19 in the UAE have reached the 15,000-volunteers target in less than a month with individuals from 107 nationalities participating in the program. The trials successfully screened and vaccinated volunteers with the first of two vaccine shots they are given during the process.

Volunteers will be offered a wrist-based wearable that will track their fitness and health. It will help them self-monitor their daily heart and respiratory rate, sleep performance, recovery levels and measure other key biometrics during the trials. The use of wearable technology to measure key biometrics is reportedly being done for the first time in Phase III clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccine. The initiative ensures that volunteers who now join clinical trials at Adnec in Abu Dhabi and Al Qarain Center in Sharjah, including those coming in for the second dose, can further enhance their volunteer journey by using the new wearable devices.