Health Ministry Official Voices Serious Warning over Virus Spread
Director of Medical Care at the Health Ministry, Dr. Joseph el-Helou voiced alarm on Wednesday saying Lebanese hospitals could be compelled to choose between saving the young or elderly in light of their diminishing capabilities to face COVID-19, MTV station reported on Wednesday.
"We will reach a place where we might be compelled to choose between the young and the elderly. We will have to sacrifice the lives of the elderly,” said Helou in dreadful remarks to MTV.
“The situation in Lebanon compels the need for a very bold decision to avoid reaching a place where people die on the street because of the virus," he said, urging for a total lockdown.
The Lebanese could be facing a “catastrophe in every sense of the word if we do not shut down the country to relieve the medical staff from the great pressure,” emphasized Helou.
A large segment of Lebanese fail to commit to preventive and safety measures against coronavirus.
“The worst is that wedding parties are still held. Everyone should know that we are in a catastrophic state. Hospitals have become completely unable to receive COVID-19 patients,” concluded Helou.
Lebanon, a country of over 5 million, has been witnessing a surge of infection cases, deaths and intensive care unit occupancy over the past weeks that brought the recorded cases to over 80,000.
According to health ministry statistics, the number of recorded cases nearly doubled between September and October in the country that is also home to over 1 million refugees.
The percentage of positive tests has increased to over 12% for every 100 tests and the average age of those who die from the virus has gone down.
Source: Naharnet
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