“The latest case, involves a 37-year-old Chinese natioanl, who was diagnosed during a routine check-up conducted as per the World Health Organization, WHO, standards. His condition is now said to be stable. This brings to nine the total number of COVID-19 cases diagnosed in the UAE,” read a MOHAP statement published Monday.

MOHAP added that it was undertaking preventive measures, including check-ups and observation of all the people that the patient might have come in contact with.

Of the nine patients, two were recently confirmed to have fully recovered, the statement read, while six remain in intensive care or under observation.

The new strain of coronavirus – named COVID-19 – was first detected in China's central city of Wuhan in December and has since spread to more than 25 countries. In China, the virus has already resulted in more than 1,600 fatalities, with nearly 70,000 people infected. Outside of China, over 500 people have been infected with the virus.