The United Arab Emirates will gradually lift restrictions imposed to fight the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic as infections and hospitalisations decrease, state news agency WAM reported.

Businesses will be allowed to operate at maximum capacity by mid-February, the National Disaster Management Authority said.

According to WAM, 1,538 new cases of coronavirus infection and four deaths have been reported in the UAE in the past 24 hours. The total number of COVID-19 cases and deaths reported in the country is 862,514 and 2,273 respectively, the report said.

The UAE has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world.