Lebanon Records 1002 New COVID-19 Cases, 3 Deaths

By Staff, Agencies

Lebanon announced 1,002 new coronavirus cases Sunday, as authorities ordered 79 towns and villages into a new one-week lockdown despite conceding such measures had so far proven unsuccessful.

The tally of cases in the country previously surpassed 60,000 Saturday, with 512 total deaths now recorded as a result of the virus.

Lebanon’s Interior Ministry announced Sunday that 79 towns and villages would go under lockdown from Monday until Oct. 26 in order to curb the virus’ spread.

However, Health Minister Hamad Hassan publicly admitted Sunday in an interview with Lebanese newspaper Al-Diyar that such localized lockdowns had so far proven unsuccessful in preventing the spread of the virus, stating that it would now be necessary to expand such measures to larger cities.

The number of daily cases have consistently remained over 1,000 despite the government imposing localized lockdowns on 169 villages and towns last week.

Hassan also called on private hospitals Sunday to make additional beds available ahead of the winter, which he warned may bring an increase in coronavirus cases.

Lebanon’s caretaker Public Works Minister Michel Najjar earlier announced that he had himself tested positive for COVID-19, making him the second minister to contract the virus since it was first detected in the country in late-February.