Coronavirus: party haven Dubai struggles to contain biggest infection surge yet

Masks off the minute you step inside. Bars packed and pulsing like it’s 2019. Social media stars waving bottles of champagne. DJs spinning party tunes through multi-hour brunches.

Since becoming one of the world’s first destinations to open up for tourism, Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, has promoted itself as the ideal pandemic holiday spot. It cannot afford otherwise, analysts say, as the virus shakes the foundations of the city state’s economy.

With its cavernous malls, frenetic construction and legions of foreign workers, Dubai was built on the promise of globalisation, drawing largely from the aviation, hospitality and retail sectors – all hard hit by the virus.

Now reality is catching up to the big-dreaming emirate. With peak tourism season in full swing, coronavirus infections are surging to unprecedented heights. Daily case counts have nearly tripled in the past month, forcing Britain to slam shut its travel corridor with Dubai last week. But in the face of a growing economic crisis, the city will not lock down.