Lebanon mulls 48-hour lockdown if coronavirus cases keep rising

The country began opening up last week but cases have since risen

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The Lebanese government reintroduced a stricter night-time curfew to stem the rise in coronavirus cases as the government warns that if numbers don’t drop they may have to return to full lockdown for 48 hours.

Accusing the Lebanese of “selfishness, blatant disregard, and indifference towards their health and the health of society,” Interior Minister Mohammad Fahmi announced on Sunday that a night curfew between 7pm and 5am would be re-instated.

In recent days, the night curfew had been enforced between 9pm to 5am as authorities eased confinement measures.

Lebanon’s largest prison now has a coronavirus isolation ward

Lebanon’s largest prison now has a coronavirus isolation ward

The move came a day after Health Minister Hamad Hassan warned that the lockdown could come back a week after the country began reopening workplaces and allowing people out of their homes. But a spate of new positive Covid-19 patients in recent days showed the country is far from stopping the virus for good.

“If the number of cases and results remain high, I will ask the prime minister and the government to take the decision to close the country for 48 hours in order to complete or to re-conduct tests in several Lebanese regions,” said Mr Hassan on Saturday during a field visit at the Syrian border, where he inspected a donation of thermometers from the Chinese embassy to test travellers.

Mr Hassan said that the number of new Covid-19 cases in Lebanon “jumped” by 11 on Saturday, a figure that while well below the caseloads in other countries was notably higher than in the past weeks.

In total, the virus has infected 845 and killed 26 in Lebanon, the health ministry said on Sunday.

Additionally, the Lebanese army announced on Sunday that 13 soldiers from the Military Court had tested positive for the coronavirus, without specifying when.

“All preventative and medical measures have been taken”, said the army in a statement, denying local reports that 1,200 soldiers had been placed in quarantine.

One reason for the increase in Covid-19 cases in Lebanon last week was the continued return of Lebanese living abroad via a repatriation programme – the airport has been closed to regular flights since March 18.

On Sunday, the Health Ministry said that it recorded 14 new cases of Covid19 among passengers returning from Russia, Belarus, Kuwait, and Cameroon.

A video shared on social media on Friday showing flight attendants on a Middle East Airlines (MEA) flight refusing to leave one seat empty between worried passengers caused outrage in Lebanon.

In the past, returnees have told The National that one seat was left empty between passengers to comply with social distancing measures. MEA said this justified the high price they are charging for tickets.

Lebanon slowly started lifting confinement measures last week, with restaurants and hairdressers now allowed to operate at reduced capacity.