International arrivals to Abu Dhabi must wear COVID-19 tracking device

International passengers arriving at Abu Dhabi airport will now have to wear a tracking device while they complete a mandatory 14-day home quarantine due to COVID-19, according to state-owned Etihad Airways.

Daily infections in the UAE rose this month to their highest since the outbreak started, which officials have largely blamed on people not practicing social distancing.

Those arriving at Abu Dhabi airport would be fitted with a medically approved wristband, which is removed after the 14-days of home quarantine, according to Etihad's latest travel update.

Those arriving from countries deemed to be a high risk may have to quarantine in a government facility, it said.

A health ministry official on Sept. 10 said 12% of cases in the previous two weeks were from international arrivals while 88% were linked to people gathering in large groups. The UAE recorded 786 new novel coronavirus cases on Thursday, down from 1,007 on Saturday, it biggest daily total so far.

The UAE, which has seen 82,568 infections and 402 deaths from COVID-19 so far, does not disclose where in the country the cases occur.

Only UAE citizens and residents can currently enter the country through Abu Dhabi airport, though foreign visitors can enter through Dubai.

Reuters