Lebanon’s Coronavirus Cases Top 50,000, Deaths at 526

By Staff, Agencies

Lebanon recorded 1,426 new coronavirus cases Friday, bringing the total number of cases to over 50,000 as the country grapples with a rapidly spiraling public health crisis.

There was a total of 22 new deaths due to coronavirus complications, bringing the total death toll to 526. The virus was first detected in Lebanon on February 21.

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

Meanwhile, with intensive care unit beds across Lebanon teetering on the brink of overcapacity, Health Minister Hamad Hassan said Wednesday that they would urgently be increasingly the number in seven governmental hospitals within the next week.

The head of Parliament’s Health Committee MP Assem Araji warned earlier this week that disregard for virus containment measures among the public was leading Lebanon to a “dangerous place.”