A total of 266 new COVID-19 cases were detected over the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health and Prevention said on Saturday.

Case numbers were up from 234 on Friday, while 200 were recorded on Thursday and 148 on Wednesday.

No COVID-19 related deaths have been recorded since Friday, December 10, however, when two people died.

A total of 743,852 cases of COVID-19 have been detected in the UAE since the start of the pandemic.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday that the omicron variant is spreading rapidly, even in countries with high immunity.

The variant is believed to be more transmissible than the delta variant, the WHO said.

The UAE outlined on Wednesday restrictions on social gatherings for Christmas and New Year, capping capacity at 80 percent.

Abu Dhabi, capital of the UAE, also reintroduced some border controls for people driving into the emirate.