Lebanon recorded its highest daily surge of deaths and new infections from coronavirus on Tuesday, as it tried to recover from the catastrophic blast at Beirut's port a week ago.
Seven people died of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, the health ministry said, and 309 new cases were recorded over the same period.
The number of infections in Lebanon is now 7,121, with 87 deaths.
Daily figures are still low compared with some countries but they have risen in recent days, straining a health system that was overwhelmed by people wounded in the August 4 explosion.
More than 100 infections have been recorded every day since July 21, weighing on Lebanon’s healthcare system.
The city’s main Covid-19 hospital was reportedly close to capacity.
Health officials said the chaos caused by the blast that killed 171 people and injured 6,000 could lead to a surge of infections, with no room for physical distancing in crowded hospitals.
Up to 300,000 people were made temporarily homeless by the explosion that ravaged half of Beirut, the city’s governor estimated.
At least 15 medical centres, including three major hospitals, sustained structural damage in the blast, the UN said.
The collective trauma that Lebanon's worst peacetime disaster inflicted on the country led people to sidestep social distancing habits.
With the start of the school year just around the corner and the flu season soon after, the head of the main public coronavirus hospital said the next few days would be critical.
"The events of the previous week have, understandably, shifted attention away from the pandemic," Firass Abiad said on social media.
"We cannot afford to allow the virus to go unchecked."
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The biog
Hometown: Cairo
Age: 37
Favourite TV series: The Handmaid’s Tale, Black Mirror
Favourite anime series: Death Note, One Piece and Hellsing
Favourite book: Designing Brand Identity, Fifth Edition
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Barcelona 2
Suarez (10'), Messi (52')
Real Madrid 2
Ronaldo (14'), Bale (72')
Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
Under 14 – Unam Pumas
Under 16 – Fursan Hispania
Under 18 – Madenat
Medicus AI
Started: 2016
Founder(s): Dr Baher Al Hakim, Dr Nadine Nehme and Makram Saleh
Based: Vienna, Austria; started in Dubai
Sector: Health Tech
Staff: 119
Funding: €7.7 million (Dh31m)
Volunteers offer workers a lifeline
Community volunteers have swung into action delivering food packages and toiletries to the men.
When provisions are distributed, the men line up in long queues for packets of rice, flour, sugar, salt, pulses, milk, biscuits, shaving kits, soap and telecom cards.
Volunteers from St Mary’s Catholic Church said some workers came to the church to pray for their families and ask for assistance.
Boxes packed with essential food items were distributed to workers in the Dubai Investments Park and Ras Al Khaimah camps last week. Workers at the Sonapur camp asked for Dh1,600 towards their gas bill.
“Especially in this year of tolerance we consider ourselves privileged to be able to lend a helping hand to our needy brothers in the Actco camp," Father Lennie Connully, parish priest of St Mary’s.
Workers spoke of their helplessness, seeing children’s marriages cancelled because of lack of money going home. Others told of their misery of being unable to return home when a parent died.
“More than daily food, they are worried about not sending money home for their family,” said Kusum Dutta, a volunteer who works with the Indian consulate.
1971: The Year The Music Changed Everything
Director: Asif Kapadia
4/5
BIO
Favourite holiday destination: Turkey - because the government look after animals so well there.
Favourite film: I love scary movies. I have so many favourites but The Ring stands out.
Favourite book: The Lord of the Rings. I didn’t like the movies but I loved the books.
Favourite colour: Black.
Favourite music: Hard rock. I actually also perform as a rock DJ in Dubai.
