ABU DHABI — The United Arab Emirates reported 640 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, a drop of several hundred from the previous day's high of 1,007 cases in 24 hours, announced the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) on Twitter. It brought the country's total to 79,489 since January.

A further 468 people had recovered from the virus after 84,642 tests were conducted over a period of 24 hours.

Sunday's tally brought the country's total to 79,489 since January. Of these, 69,451 have recovered.

No deaths were recorded, leaving the death toll at 399. The number of active cases now stands at 9,639.

Dubai has begun a major crackdown on anyone who breaches COVID-19 protocols, issuing hundreds of fines and thousands of warnings at shopping malls at the weekend.

The move comes as the UAE government updates its list of fines applicable to those breaking safety regulations.

Meanwhile, international drugs manufacturer AstraZeneca and Oxford University have resumed a coronavirus vaccine trial after an investigation into how a volunteer developed an unexplained illness. — Agencies