Lebanon Registers 3,654 New Coronavirus Cases, First Vaccine Shipment to Arrive in Mid-February

By Staff, Agencies

Lebanon Sunday registered 3,654 new coronavirus cases and 40 more deaths, marking an unprecedented week in the number of virus fatalities, which topped 200.

Among the newly recorded cases, only 14 were detected among travelers arriving in Lebanon, according to the Health Ministry report, with the total number of cases since the virus was detected in the country in late February rising to 252,812.

Lebanon recorded unusually high deaths this week, with four consecutive record-breaking days -- the highest at 44 Friday -- resulting in a total of 256 fatalities just this past week. The overall number of coronavirus-related deaths since February stands at 1,865.

A total of 18,628 tests have been administered in the last 24 hours. The positivity rate of the tests in the last two weeks stood at 19.4 percent.

The Health Ministry said 2,014 patients were in hospital for COVID-19, with 744 in ICUs and 216 on mechanical ventilation.

Meanwhile, Lebanon finalized its deal with Pfizer-BioNTech to acquire 2.1 million doses of their coronavirus vaccine. A deal with the COVAX platform was signed last month as well, with 2.7 million doses secured, in addition to another 2 million doses from Oxford-AstraZeneca and Sinopharm.

The first shipment of the Pfizer-BioNTech is set to arrive in mid-February with 60,000 doses.

In the meantime, hospitals continue to struggle with the uncontrollable surge in cases. Lebanon is now in its fifth day of a stringent total lockdown that is set to last for a total of 11 days, but which is subject for renewal. Health experts recommend a three-week lockdown to try and contain this type of surge.

The Health Ministry Sunday announced it had received a shipment of 18 ICU ventilators that would be distributed to private and public hospitals in accordance to the level of need and under the supervision of the caretaker prime minister and caretaker health minister.

The ministry is also expecting the arrival of an additional shipment of intensive care beds and respirators which it purchased from the World Health Organization and which will be distributed in accordance to the needs of both private and public hospitals.