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Infected couple caught fleeing Dutch COVID-19 quarantine moved to ‘forced isolation’

A couple caught trying to escape from COVID-19 quarantine in the Netherlands after testing positive for the coronavirus have been transferred to a hospital where they were being held in isolation, an official said on Monday.

The pair, a Spanish man and Portuguese woman, left the hotel where travelers who tested positive for the virus were staying after arriving at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport from South Africa.

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“They have now been transferred to a hospital elsewhere in the Netherlands to ensure they are in isolation. They are now in so-called forced isolation,” said Petra Faber, spokesperson for Haarlemmermeer municipality, where Schiphol is located just outside of the capital.

“We don’t know who tested positive for the new variant and we wouldn’t say because of privacy,” Faber said.

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The couple fled the hotel on Sunday and had boarded a plane to Spain when they were detained by military police at the airport, said Faber. They were among 61 out of the more than 600 passengers who arrived on two flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town on Friday and tested positive for COVID-19.

At least 13 of those infected have the newly identified Omicron variant of the virus, Dutch health authorities said on Sunday.

Security at the hotel has in the meantime been increased to ensure the quarantined guests stay in their rooms. It is being guarded by regular police and military police.

The discovery of Omicron, dubbed a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization, has sparked worries around the world that it could resist vaccinations and prolong the nearly two-year-old COVID-19 pandemic.

Dutch authorities are also seeking to contact and test some 5,000 other passengers who have travelled from South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia or Zimbabwe.

In the Netherlands, tougher COVID-19 measures went into effect on Sunday to curb record daily infection rates of more than 20,000 and ease pressure on hospitals.

Read more:

First image of Omicron shows many more mutations than Delta variant

France detects eight possible Omicron cases: Health ministry

WHO says PCR tests detect Omicron, new COVID-19 variant has higher reinfection risk

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Mubadala Health Dubai’s multipurpose gym a resounding success during Dubai Fitness Challenge

Mubadala Health Dubai, an M42 company, played a principal role in the recent Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC 30×30) as the Association Partner at the DP World Kite Beach Fitness Village. The idea was to encourage people to adopt the habit of exercising for 30 minutes a day for 30 days. Located on the shorelines of Dubai’s Kite Beach, the state-of-the-art, three-tiered gym featured cardio-based workouts on the ground floor, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on the first floor, and dedicated core and functional training on the second floor. Additionally, free daily classes led by Technogym Master Trainers were available to fitness enthusiasts. Other activities available at the Fitness Village included aerobics, boxing, yoga, rowing, padel, cricket, gymnastics and yoga sessions.
Although the DFC 30×30 has now concluded, Mubadala Health Dubai’s commitment to promoting an active lifestyle and fostering a fitness-focused mindset persists. Conveniently situated in Jumeirah, Mubadala Health Dubai’s Specialty Clinic & Day Surgery Center is home to a diverse team of internationally acclaimed experts, comprising orthopedic specialists, sports medicine professionals, physiotherapists, rehabilitation experts, nutritionists, weight management specialists and family medicine practitioners. Together, they guide and empower patients to pursue an active and healthy lifestyle through its comprehensive healthcare services for pediatrics, adults, and senior citizens.

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Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi achieves pioneering ACCME® accreditation milestone in the UAE

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, part of the M42 network, has become one of the UAE’s pioneering healthcare organisations to receive Provisional Accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME®). The accreditation acknowledges the hospital as a distinguished provider of Continuing Medical Education (CME), further empowering the institution to grant credits for local, regional, and international medical education programs, including the American Medical Association (AMA) Physician’s Recognition Award (PRA) Category 1 Credit™. Dr. Jorge Guzman, Chief Executive Officer of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, expressed his
gratitude, stating, “This groundbreaking achievement is a testament to our steadfast
commitment to excellence in medical education and healthcare delivery. With this milestone
accreditation, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has set its sight on attracting a global audience of
medical education facilitators, organizers, and decision-makers, as we continue to set new
benchmarks and raise the bar, ensuring that the UAE remains at the forefront of medical
innovation and expertise. We will continue to focus on upskilling of local and global talent to
strengthen UAE’s positioning as a medical education hub.” The ACCME accreditation reinforces the commitment of CME providers to ensure that medical education remains fair, balanced, evidence-based, valid, relevant to clinicians’ needs, evaluated for its effectiveness, and free from any commercial influence. By achieving this designation, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi strengthens its mission to ‘educate those who serve’ and solidifies its role in advancing medical knowledge with the highest standards of integrity. Dr. Sawsan Abdel-Razig, Chief Academic Officer at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, commented, “We are truly honored to be recognized as a leading ACCME-accredited organization in the UAE. Our Education Department designs robust, competency-based education and professional development programs that provide world-class healthcare education to current and future healthcare providers. This achievement further enhances Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s
reputation and its ability to build a sustainable healthcare sector in the UAE.”

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World News in Brief: Aid cut threat for Afghan deportees, saving Rohingya lives at sea, China respiratory illness spike, new rail transport treaty

Emergency support for thousands of Afghan families repatriated from Pakistan could dwindle due to a lack of funding as winter approaches, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Thursday.

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