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    Home»News»Lebanon News
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    3 Mins Read

    Lebanon Reopens On Monday After A Failed Lockdown

    By Rim ZreinNovember 28, 2020Updated:January 22, 2021
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    Health Minister Hamad Hasan said on Friday that Lebanon would open up on Monday despite the failure of a two-week lockdown to halt a surge in coronavirus cases in the country.

    #Lebanon's caretaker health minister says country will end a COVID lockdown and reopen on Monday despite bad results (i.e. no significant drop in number of new COVID cases).

    It won't even be a staged reopening, according to his comments.

    — Timour Azhari (@timourazhari) November 27, 2020

    “Despite no positive results, the country will be open up on Monday,” Hasan said as quoted by the LBCI. “I was expecting a more positive result from the lockdown to build on.”

    Hasan announced the end of the lockdown during a live televised speech shortly after the coronavirus committee met to discuss Lebanon’s lockdown, which began two weeks ago and is set to end on November 30.

    After a two-week lockdown with 31,804 fines issued by the ISF since November 14 on violators of the lockdown terms, and with no improvement in the positivity rate during the past 14 days (November 14: 14.7% — November 26: 14.9%), the country's open again next Monday. #Lebanon

    — Halim Shebaya (حليم شبيعة) (@halimshebaya) November 27, 2020

    Earlier in the day, the Head of Rafik Hariri University Hospital, Dr. Firass Abiad, said that the coronavirus committee faced a difficult decision on whether to lift or extend Lebanon’s lockdown as infection rates and unemployment simultaneously continue to increase.

    “The COVID-19 committee will face hard choices on the lockdown in its meeting today. The business sectors are also reporting record numbers of job losses and closures,” he said in a series of tweets.

    3.5 These numbers mean the Covid committee will face hard choices on the lockdown in its meeting today. The business sectors are also reporting record numbers of job losses and closures. Extending the lockdown close to the holiday season without any support will be devastating.

    — Firass Abiad (@firassabiad) November 27, 2020

    “Extending the lockdown close to the holiday season without any support will be devastating,” he added.

    Lebanon is currently battling a tricky situation. An extension of the lockdown would mean that restaurants, cafes, and businesses across the country would continue to close their doors, losing more money during the worst economic crisis Lebanon has witnessed in decades.

    On the other hand, daily coronavirus cases have consistently surpassed 1,000 over the last month and death rates are increasing day by day, overwhelming an already fragile health sector.

    Dr. Abiad explained that, from the perspective of health experts, easing the lockdown despite high numbers, specifically the high test positivity rate and the number of patients in ICU, can only result in worsening the current situation.

    1.5 Lebanon reported 84 deaths from Covid in the past 4 days. These were the result of infections contracted more than two weeks ago before the start of the lockdown. This high death toll explains why health experts were very worried back then and strongly recommended a lockdown.

    — Firass Abiad (@firassabiad) November 27, 2020

    “The key words this afternoon will be risk reduction and economy. Poverty is as damaging to health as COVID-19, and the majority are financially on the brink. The decisions taken need to be balanced.” Abiad noted.

    The Economy Ministry estimates that over 60 percent of the population will be living below the poverty line by the end of the year. The national currency has deteriorated by 80 percent, making basic household items and food unaffordable for many Lebanese.

    AFP

    The Lebanese government has provided only a small amount of financial aid to families struggling under pandemic lockdown measures and a crippling economy.

    Lebanon confirmed a record of 24 deaths due to coronavirus complications on Thursday, the second death rate record set this week.

    The Health Ministry reported 1,859 new coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of registered cases to 122,159 since February.

    Details were not made public on what the measures will look like for the country’s latest attempt at re-opening.

    We have a dedicated coronavirus section where you can find the latest news/updates about the pandemic in Lebanon, inform yourself with WHO-verified resources, and track the number of cases in Lebanon in real-time. Click here.

    Coronavirus (COVID-19)
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