Lebanon COVID-19 Roundup: First Death Announced, 11 New Cases

By Staff, Agencies

Lebanon saw its first death from coronavirus [COVID-19] and 11 new cases Tuesday, as the government announced $39 million of additional funding to help the country avert an outbreak of the infectious disease.

Rafik Hariri University Hospital registered 11 additional cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of people confirmed to have contracted the virus to 52, the hospital’s director Firass Abiad announced at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.

This is the second consecutive day that Lebanon has broken its record for the largest same-day rise in new cases. Nine new cases were confirmed Monday.

Three patients are currently in a critical condition, according to Abiad. The deceased patient was in such a condition when he arrived March 5 at Rafik Hariri University Hospital. “The patient suffered complications such as hypotension and high fever that increased until it caused a heart attack, and his death,” Dr. Mohammad Hassoun, who treated the deceased, said.

Earlier Tuesday the Health Ministry confirmed in a statement that the deceased patient was a 56-year-old Lebanese man who traveled via airplane from Egypt to Lebanon on Feb. 20. He was later transferred from Notre Dame de Secours Hospital in Jbeil to Rafik Hariri University Hospital in Beirut.

The Lebanese government announced Tuesday that it would redistribute $39 million of a $120 million World Bank loan in order to help the county see off the public health crisis. Health Minister Hamad Hasan said Monday that Lebanon was at the beginning of its battle with COVID-19 and that the spread was still limited, for now.

The redistributed money will be used to “equip government hospitals for diagnosing and treating suspected cases of coronavirus,” Information Minster Manal Abdel Samad told reporters after Tuesday’s Cabinet session at Baabda palace.

The money will also allow the government to “guarantee that all needs, logistical requirements, means of personal protection, communication and awareness tools are provided,” she said.

Abiad confirmed that Rafik Hariri University Hospital currently has the ability to cater for the patients who have tested positive for COVID-19. Twenty-six of the hospital’s 64 coronavirus treatment rooms are currently occupied by 30 patients, he said.

“We can meet the current needs ... but if there are more and more increases [in cases] then we’ll have to work on increasing the capacity to welcome patients,” Abiad said. “There’s a need to bring the public and private sectors together in a coordinated effort, under the administration of the Health Ministry.”

Earlier Tuesday the head of the Syndicate of Private Hospitals Sleiman Haroun announced that four further hospitals would soon be ready to analyze coronavirus test results, bringing the total number of analysis laboratories to five.