Denmark suspends Dubai flights amid uncertainties over virus checks

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark has briefly suspended all flights from the United Arab Emirates for five days soon after suspicion arose that the coronavirus tests that can be obtained right before leaving Dubai are not dependable, authorities announced Friday.



Tourists party on a yacht in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021. Since becoming one of the world's first destinations to open up for tourism, Dubai has promoted itself as the ideal pandemic vacation spot. With peak tourism season in full swing, coronavirus infections are surging to unprecedented heights, with daily case counts nearly tripling in the past month, but in the face of a growing economic crisis, the city won't lock down and can't afford to stand still. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)


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Travelers get together on a yacht in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021. Due to the fact becoming a single of the world’s initially places to open up up for tourism, Dubai has promoted by itself as the great pandemic vacation spot. With peak tourism season in whole swing, coronavirus infections are surging to unprecedented heights, with day-to-day case counts just about tripling in the past thirty day period, but in the confront of a expanding financial disaster, the metropolis will not likely lock down and can not manage to stand even now. (AP Photograph/Kamran Jebreili)

The enhancement poses a direct problem to the mass testing regime that had been the pillar of the UAE’s coronavirus response and financial reopening.

Danish Transport Minister Benny Engelbrecht said the choice was made to allow for the make a difference to be completely investigated and guarantee that the screening are becoming carried out correctly

“We just cannot disregard such a suspicion,” Engelbrecht claimed, adding that the ban entered into force on Thursday night time.

Danish authorities confronted a “concrete and severe citizen inquiry into” how the tests are carried out at Dubai entry and exit details, he explained, and “therefore we have to have to be totally positive that there are no problems.”



Tourists on a yacht as they pass a traditional dhow serving a dinner cruise, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021. With peak tourism season in full swing, coronavirus infections are surging to unprecedented heights, with daily case counts nearly tripling in the past month, forcing Britain to slam shut its travel corridor with Dubai last week. But in the face of a growing economic crisis, the city won't lock down and can't afford to stand still. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)


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Travelers on a yacht as they move a common dhow serving a evening meal cruise, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021. With peak tourism year in total swing, coronavirus bacterial infections are surging to unparalleled heights, with day-to-day circumstance counts just about tripling in the previous thirty day period, forcing Britain to slam shut its journey corridor with Dubai final 7 days. But in the experience of a escalating economic disaster, the city won’t lock down and cannot find the money for to stand still. (AP Image/Kamran Jebreili)

Engelbrecht claimed at minimum “one citizen” introduced the South African variant of the virus “back from Dubai.” He did not determine even more that individual. Dubai has viewed an enhance in the variety of South African people as the country’s overall economy deteriorated in the latest yrs.

Danish tabloid Ekstra Bladet stated Friday there has been a second report of allegedly sloppy virus screening in Dubai, and cited Engelbrecht as indicating “the data feel precise and valid.”

Given that Jan. 9, Denmark has necessary that all travellers arriving in the Scandinavian region have a negative coronavirus exam or evidence that they have just lately had COVID-19, the health issues brought on by the virus, to restrict the spread of the virus.

The UAE’s International Ministry did not quickly answer to an Connected Push ask for for comment on the flight suspension and the suspicions bordering the virus testing.

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On Jan. 8, Denmark’s Foreign Ministry suggested versus all vacation abroad, like organization vacation. On Tuesday, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told local media that “there is a purpose why we genuinely inquire everyone not to vacation. It’s really vital that all people listens.”



Tourists party on a yacht in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021. Since becoming one of the world's first destinations to open up for tourism, Dubai has promoted itself as the ideal pandemic vacation spot. With peak tourism season in full swing, coronavirus infections are surging to unprecedented heights, with daily case counts nearly tripling in the past month, but in the face of a growing economic crisis, the city won't lock down and can't afford to stand still. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)


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Tourists bash on a yacht in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021. Due to the fact becoming 1 of the world’s 1st places to open up for tourism, Dubai has promoted alone as the suitable pandemic holiday vacation spot. With peak tourism period in complete swing, coronavirus infections are surging to unprecedented heights, with day by day situation counts approximately tripling in the previous month, but in the facial area of a escalating economic crisis, the city would not lock down and can not afford to pay for to stand even now. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

“There is a threat of bringing (virus) mutations to Denmark,” she explained. “It can undermine our epidemic command and consequently infect other individuals and what is worse.”

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In the latest times, a number of Danish celebs, socialites and influencers — these types of as former boxer Mikkel Kessler, previous soccer international Nicklas Bendtner and table tennis ace Michael Maze — have traveled to Dubai and posted photographs of by themselves on social media.

Lea Hvidt Kessler, the spouse of the former tremendous-middleweight environment champion, wrote on Instagram that no a person in their loved ones that traveled to Dubai prior to Christmas was contaminated. In accordance to media in Denmark, there are presently 85 Danish nationals there and about 800 lasting Danish citizens in Dubai.

Holidaymakers have flocked to Dubai in latest months irrespective of the UAE’s surging coronavirus circumstance rely, escaping lockdowns back household. The glimmering city-state, with an financial system largely designed on tourism, aviation and retail, has promoted alone as an ideal pandemic getaway place. Aside from the ubiquitous masks and hand sanitizer dispensers, a feeling of pre-pandemic normalcy prevails in the crowded bars, large malls and luxurious accommodations.



Tourists and residents enjoy the sunset at the Jumeirah Beach Residence, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021. Coronavirus infections are surging to unprecedented heights in the United Arab Emirates. But Dubai, the glimmering city-state powered by legions of foreign laborers and travelers, is resisting a lockdown during its peak tourism season. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)


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Travellers and citizens take pleasure in the sunset at the Jumeirah Seashore Home, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021. Coronavirus bacterial infections are surging to unparalleled heights in the United Arab Emirates. But Dubai, the glimmering metropolis-state driven by legions of international laborers and travelers, is resisting a lockdown during its peak tourism season. (AP Photograph/Kamran Jebreili)

Skyrocketing every day bacterial infections, which approximately tripled due to the fact November, for months did not dent the normalcy even as more contagious variants of the coronavirus raced close to the world. The United Kingdom, which like Denmark sent droves of actuality Tv set and sports activities stars to Dubai, closed its vacation corridor with the UAE earlier this month.

This 7 days, having said that, the town has revealed indicators of strain. As the UAE shattered its coronavirus an infection for the 11th consecutive day on Friday, with 3,552 new conditions, Dubai declared an speedy halt to all “entertainment actions” on boats and floating restaurants — a preferred pastime in the metropolis. Vacationers and celebs typically flaunt their holidays on social media, putting up photographs of raucous, Champagne-soaked yacht functions that have splashed throughout tabloids in recent weeks. A working day earlier, Dubai suspended all reside bands and performances at nightclubs and bars in the metropolis soon after hospitals were being compelled to pause non-urgent surgical procedures to deal with an influx of new COVID-19 clients.

Considering that the get started of the pandemic, the UAE has built its coronavirus reaction on an “early detection technique,” embarking on just one of the world’s ideal coronavirus screening regimes at a time when other nations were having difficulties to acquire and administer PCR exams. As of Friday, the state of about 9 million experienced carried out some 24.2 million coronavirus checks.

Dubai was one particular of the world’s first places to open up to travellers, welcoming visitors from everywhere with only a coronavirus exam. The country has utilised Chinese-built coronavirus test kits in its race to detect infections. The U.S. State Section earlier elevated problems that Chinese tests material was not precise, without having delivering evidence about the allegation.

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Affiliated Push author Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.

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