With the conclusion of the 2-week lockdown, Lebanon surpassed 1,000 total coronavirus (COVID-19) fatalities.
On Sunday, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health confirmed 1,266 new COVID-19 cases, 13 deaths, and 1,824 recoveries, in its daily report on the epidemic.
The number of infection and death cases has not seen a notable decline compared with the beginning of the lockdown, which started on November 14th and was unfavorably lifted on Monday.
“Despite the negative results regarding the number of new infections with the novel coronavirus, the country will be opened on Monday,” caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hasan announced on Friday. “I was waiting for more positive results to build on.”
Hasan previously said that the lockdown would be extended if the numbers did not decline. However, the worsening economic conditions amid the current crisis forced the authorities to reopen the country after the failed closure.
In an interview with local media on Sunday, the official said that Lebanon was aiming to acquire COVID-19 vaccines by February. There are currently several candidate vaccines being tested around the world, with varying efficiency rates.
Photo: Reuters/Aziz Taher
“We are heading toward a vaccine in February, and caution is required until that time,” he said, adding that 70% of Lebanon had closed during the Nov. 14th-30th lockdown.
With the end of the lockdown, the authorities decided on Sunday to maintain a curfew with altered hours and to cancel the even and odd license plate traffic system.
As of the time of writing, Lebanon has 126,944 COVID-19 cases in total, 49,166 of which are active, in addition to 1,004 deaths and 76,774 total recoveries.
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