Lebanon Registers 589 New Coronavirus Cases in Last 24 Hours, Total above 10,000

By Staff, Agencies

Lebanon’s total coronavirus cases hit the 10,000 mark Wednesday, as the country confirmed a record 589 new cases in the last 24 hours as well as two more deaths.

Wednesday’s numbers marked a 168 jump in cases since the previous day alone. There has now been a total of 10,347 cases since the virus was first detected in the country on Feb. 21. Of the new cases, 581 were detected among the local population and only eight were found among travelers from abroad. With two new registered deaths, the total of the deceased due to coronavirus complications is now 109.

Lebanon’s already fragile health system took a heavy blow in the Beirut Port explosion, which seriously damaged four hospitals in Beirut.

The positivity rate in June among tests conducted on the local population was 0.82 percent. In July, it jumped to 2.14 percent, but two weeks into August it now stands at 4.85 percent. The positivity rate among inbound travelers has stayed relatively stable since the airport reopened.

Caretaker Interior Minister Mohammad Fahmi Tuesday announced a two-week lockdown that will start Friday and includes a curfew between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. However, it contains numerous exceptions that have been put in place to accommodate the multiple, overlapping crises Lebanon is facing – not least the aftermath of the Aug. 4 port explosion that left more than 300,000 people in Beirut temporarily homeless.