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Lebanon Registers Record 53 COVID-19 Deaths, 3,144 New Cases

Lebanon Registers Record 53 COVID-19 Deaths, 3,144 New Cases
folder_openMiddle East... access_time3 years ago
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By Staff, Agencies

Lebanon Monday registered 53 coronavirus deaths, a one-day record, and registered 3,144 more cases despite a full lockdown to give overwhelmed hospitals a reprieve.

The cases were registered in a relatively low 12,371 PCR tests because many labs close down Sundays. The positivity rate of the tests in the last two weeks stood at 19.6 percent.

Among the newly recorded cases, only 18 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 255,956.

Lebanon recorded unusually high deaths last week, with four consecutive record-breaking days – the highest at 44 Friday – resulting in a total of 309 fatalities just in these eight days. The overall number of coronavirus-related deaths since February stands at 1,959.

The Health Ministry said 2,038 patients were in hospital for COVID-19, with 750 in ICUs and 222 on ventilation.

The latest figures were released a day after 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.

In the meantime, cases continue to rise and 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.

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