Lebanon starts total lockdown and a curfew until January 25
Lebanon on Thursday began a new 11-day lockdown and a curfew starting from January 14th until January 25th, as a spike in the Coronavirus infections in the country is expected within the coming days.
Last Monday, the Supreme Council of Defense in Lebanon announced a state of health emergency and reduced travelers’ movement at the airport to become 20%. It also imposed a curfew as of January 14 until January 25 with the aim of confronting further outbreak of the Corona pandemic.
Today, movement was limited in a number of Beirut’s streets and suburbs. Commercial establishments, markets and most private companies have closed.
The hundreds of intensive care hospital beds dedicated to COVID-19 patients are full. Doctors have started to check on patients inside ambulances, and ask those who need oxygen to provide it at their own expense, and stay home, Lebanese media reports said.
According to the Lebanese Health Ministry’s statistics, there were 618 critical cases and 80,386 active cases as of Wednesday morning, while the number of daily cases recorded has not dropped below 4,300 for days. These infections came a week after social interactions during New Year celebrations.
Hamda Mustafa