Lebanon Registers Record 1459 New Coronavirus Cases, Health Ministry to Increase Hospital Beds

By Staff, Agencies

Lebanon confirmed yet another record of daily coronavirus cases Wednesday as the Health Ministry announced it would be increasing the number of coronavirus beds in governmental hospitals across the country to accommodate the surge.

The Health Ministry confirmed 1,459 cases new cases and nine deaths Wednesday. Only six of the new cases came from incoming travelers.

The total number of registered cases in the country rose to 48,377 cases, with a total of 433 deaths due to coronavirus complications since the illness was first detected on February 21.

Health Minister Hamad Hasan said the number of beds to treat coronavirus patients would increase within the next week in seven governmental hospitals in Beirut, Mount Lebanon and the north, where the number of infections is increasing dramatically.

After that, more beds will be made available for coronavirus treatment in the south and Western Bekaa over three weeks. During this time, the Health Ministry will be distributing ventilators that have been donated to various hospitals.

Relatively, head of Parliament’s Health Committee MP Assem Araji Tuesday warned that public disregard for virus containment measures was leading the crisis-hit country to a “dangerous place.”

Since Sunday, 111 villages and towns across Lebanon have been under lockdown, as more than eight positive COVID-19 cases had been registered per 100,000 people over the preceding 14 days.

The way in which this decision was made has come under criticism, however, as Lebanon lacks reliable demographic data that would allow the level of risk within towns and villages to be assessed accurately.