Dubai opened a 3,000-bed capacity field hospital on Saturday in its World Trade Centre to prepare for a potential surge in novel coronavirus cases.

The towering event and exhibition centre is located in the heart of the city, one of the seven members of the United Arab Emirates. The hospital will reinforce Dubai's healthcare system and "take advantage of all resources and infrastructure to fight the COVID-19 pandemic", said a statement from the emirate's media office said.

The hospital has a capacity that can be expanded quickly to over 3,000 beds, the statement added. The UAE has imposed strict social distancing measures and a night-time curfew to combat the spread of the virus. More than 6,000 COVID-19 infections have been recorded in the UAE, including 37 patients who have died.