Lebanese President Calls for Meeting COVID-19 Cases, Deaths Surge

By Staff, Agencies

Lebanon recorded 1,139 new coronavirus cases and 10 deaths Sunday as Lebanese President Michel Aoun announced a meeting next week to discuss the worsening health situation across the country.

According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, a total of 94,236 people have now been infected with the virus since it was first detected in the country in late February. A total of 723 people have died due to virus-related complications.

As has been the case in recent months, the vast majority of new cases Sunday were detected locally, incoming travelers accounted for just nine of the new cases.

The accelerating spread of coronavirus cases has caused alarm among officials and experts as it threatens to overwhelm Lebanon’s hospitals. The record-breaking numbers of new coronavirus cases detected this week indicate that localized lockdowns, which have been in place since mid-October, are failing to stop the spread of the virus.

In response to the surge in cases, Aoun called for the Higher Defense Council to convene for an extraordinary session Tuesday.

Health measures to tackle the coronavirus situation will be discussed during the meeting, according to a statement from the president’s office.

The announcement of the meeting came the same day as several prominent health care officials called for a national lockdown.