BEIRUT: Many doctors specializing in bacterial and infectious diseases expect a further jump in the number of people of infected with COVID-19 next week in Lebanon with hospitals exceeding their capacity.
On Sunday, the total number of laboratory-confirmed infections exceeded a quarter of a million people in the country.
In the first 17 days of the year 67,655 new cases were recorded, and the lockdown period is expected to be extended for at least 10 more days.
Suleiman Haroun, head of the Lebanese Syndicate of Private Hospitals, said: “The epidemiological scene in Lebanon reflects part of the reality, not all of it. The real situation will be worse yet.”
Wednesday 13/01/2021
Members of the Lebanese Red Cross transfer a coronavirus patient to the COVID-19 department of the Nabih Berri university hospital, in the southern Lebanese city of Nabatiyeh. (AFP)
BEIRUT - Lebanon has “entered the dangerous phase” of the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting the government to declare a state of health emergency and a round-the-clock curfew in an effort to contain a dramatic surge of cases largely blamed on the relaxation of restrictions during end of year holidays.
With daily cases exceeding 5,000 in the week after New Year’s celebrations, hospitals sounded the alarm, warning that they might be forced to turn away patients due to a lack of vacant beds and overwhelmed human resources.