Lebanon Records 1,888 New Virus Cases, Nine Deaths

By Staff, Agencies

Lebanon recorded 1,888 new coronavirus cases and nine deaths Wednesday, as reports surfaced that the Higher Defense Council would meet in the next 48 hours to decide whether to announce a nationwide coronavirus lockdown.

This brings the total death toll to 676, and means that there are now 41,389 active cases in Lebanon.

According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, a total of 87,097 people has now been infected with the virus ever since it first detected in the country in late-February.

Caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hassan called Monday for a total lockdown that would last a total of four weeks, conceding again that the localized lockdowns the country has trialed since early October have done little to curb the spread of the virus.

This call comes amid mounting pressure on the country’s health care system, with critical patients in ICU units increasing by 178.4 percent over the last two weeks despite a drive by the health ministry to fully operationalize the country’s private hospitals.

Nearly 25 percent of the total COVID-19 cases in Lebanon have occurred in the last two weeks alone. Deaths from coronavirus complications have themselves increased by 80 percent during the same period.

Lebanon has been under a nightly curfew lasting from 21:00 to 05:00 since Sunday, although there is still no word from authorities as to when this will end.