Lebanon Loses Control of Coronavirus Published January 3rd, 2021 - 07:17 GMT
A vendor sells party supplies ahead of New Year on December 31, 2020 in Beirut. ANWAR AMRO / AFP
Highlights
Cases could exceed 5,000 a day due to New Year partying.
Lebanon faces a coronavirus “catastrophe,” health chiefs warned on Saturday, after thousands of people defied health warnings and enjoyed Christmas and New Year parties.
Hospitals are overwhelmed, intensive care units are almost full and medical authorities fear a surge in cases to 5,000 a day when the full consequences of the holiday “party season” strike home.
Beirut hospitals are no longer able to take new coronavirus patients, the secretary-general of the Lebanese Red Cross George Kettaneh told LBCI, adding that they are looking into the possibility of transferring patients to hospitals outside the capital and Mount Lebanon
Lebanon’s parliamentary health committee calls for lockdown
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Beirut, Jan 3 (IANS) Lebanon’s parliamentary Health Committee has recommended a three-week lockdown to curb the unprecedented surge in Covid-19 cases and reduce pressure on the health sector.
In a statement on Saturday, Head of the Health Committee Assem Araji emphasized the need to close the country for three weeks as the health sector is on the verge of collapse, reports Xinhua news agency.
An official decision on a lockdown is expected to be taken Monday.
Since the onset of the pandemic earlier last year, Lebanon has reported more than 184,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and 1,479 deaths.
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BEIRUT: Lebanon faces a coronavirus “catastrophe,” health chiefs warned on Saturday, after thousands of people defied health warnings and enjoyed Christmas and New Year parties.
Hospitals are overwhelmed, intensive care units are almost full and medical authorities fear a surge in cases to 5,000 a day when the full consequences of the holiday “party season” strike home.
Lebanon has recorded 183,888 coronavirus cases since February, including 1,466 deaths, and last week it hit a daily record of more than 3,500 new cases.
After imposing tight restrictions in November to curb the spread of the pandemic, the government relaxed rules before the December holidays, pushed a curfew back to 3 a.m. and allowed nightclubs and bars to reopen.
Medics warn of coronavirus catastrophe in Lebanon Sat 02nd January 2021 | 04:54 PM
Lebanon s hospitals are being overwhelmed by coronavirus cases, medics warned Saturday, as infection rates surge in the wake of end of year holidays
Beirut (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Jan, 2021 ) :Lebanon s hospitals are being overwhelmed by coronavirus cases, medics warned Saturday, as infection rates surge in the wake of end of year holidays.
The national Covid-19 task force was to meet later the same day and expected to advise a three-week lockdown, said Petra Khoury, its head.
Lebanon, with a population of around six million, has recorded 183,888 coronavirus cases, including 1,466 deaths, since February.