Lebanon Records 21 New COVID-19 Deaths, 1,039 Cases

By Staff, Agencies

Lebanon registered 21 new coronavirus-related deaths and 1,039 cases Tuesday, as head of the parliamentary Health Committee MP Assem Araji said that around $12.5 million has been used from the World Bank loan to Lebanon to stem the spread of the virus.

“The World Bank provided Lebanon with a $120 million loan and Parliament decided on designating $40 million to fight the virus, and we have only used $12.5 million from the $40 million,” Araji said after a coronavirus committee meeting Tuesday.

Among the newly recorded cases, 13 were from incoming travelers from abroad, bringing the total number of positive cases to 139,135 since the illness was first detected in Feb. 21. The total number of deaths now stands at 1,136.

Araji added the World Bank will not help Lebanon in providing it with medical equipment unless a credible government is formed that will enact reforms.

The Health Ministry reported that a total of 10,448 PCR tests had been administered in the last 24 hours. The positivity rate of the tests in the last two weeks stood at 14.6 percent.

Head of Rafik Hariri University Hospital Dr. Firass Abiad said in a tweet Tuesday that despite the relatively low number of cases recorded Monday and the decreased test positivity rate, the number of patients in ICU is increasing and the number of deaths is still high.

There are currently 385 people in a critical condition, according to the Health Ministry.

Caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hasan had said Monday that the ministry secured around 2 million Pfizer vaccines which would reach Lebanon in the first quarter of next year and will be distributed to the most vulnerable people first such as health care workers and the elderly.

Lebanon recorded 16 coronavirus-related deaths and 984 positive cases Monday, the first time cases fall under the 1,000 mark in weeks.