Geagea Urges Banning Flights from Iran, China
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Sunday called for banning flights from and to Iran and China as a precaution against the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“In light of Lebanon’s modest capabilities, it is better to take extreme and not minimal measures from the very beginning,” Geagea tweeted.
“Therefore, it is better, as a first step, to ban travel from and to countries witnessing major outbreaks of the disease, without taking into account any other considerations or any sentiments, especially as to China and Iran,” the LF leader added.
The first case of the novel coronavirus in Lebanon was confirmed on Friday and two other suspected cases are being investigated.
The COVID-19 virus was found in a 45-year-old Lebanese woman who had traveled from Qom in Iran.
Health Minister Hamad Hasan said that all the people who were on the same flight from Iran have been contacted by the health authorities.
He said that anyone returning from Iran would be asked to observe a two-week home quarantine.
The COVID-19 outbreak first appeared in Iran on Wednesday.
Iran confirmed eight deaths from the virus on Sunday, the highest toll of any country outside China. The number of infections has meanwhile surged to 43.
Thousands of Lebanese travel to Iran every year to visit Shiite holy sites in Qom and other cities.
Source: Naharnet
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