Aviation company Emirates has launched a 10-minute coronavirus test for passengers departing from its Dubai base, in what was claimed Wednesday as a first for the industry.?
This airline resumed limited services for passenger flights earlier this month after the United Arab Emirates grounded all commercial aircraft.
The flights are in service for foreign citizens who wish to leave the country, but no incoming passengers are allowed to do the same.?
In a statement the airlines"Passengers on today's flight to Tunisia were all tested for COVID-19 (respiratory disease) before departing from Dubai."?
¡°Emirates is the first airline to conduct the on-site coronavirus test for passengers.¡±
The blood tests were conducted by the Dubai Health Authority in the check-in area with results coming out within 10 minutes.?
"We are working on plans to scale up testing capabilities in the future and extend it to other flights," said Chief Operating Officer Adel al-Redha.
"This will enable us to conduct on-site tests and provide immediate confirmation for Emirates passengers travelling to countries that require COVID-19 test certificates."
Emirates is considered as the largest carrier in the Middle East, has also said that cleaning and disinfection of the aircrafts will take place in Dubai after each flight comes back from the trip.?
The UAE, which has seven emirates including Dubai, has declared almost 5000 coronavirus positive cases and 28 deaths.?
It has imposed a sweeping crackdown which includes flight ban, closure of borders, shopping malls, entertainment centres and markets.?
A two-week curfew was imposed in Dubai on April 4 following a big jump in the number of cases in the UAE, where some 10 million people live, 90 percent of them expatriates.