2nd Coronavirus Case Confirmed in Lebanon

A second infection with the novel coronavirus was confirmed Wednesday in Lebanon, the Health Ministry said.

“The second case is epidemiologically linked to the first case. She was on a seven-day religious trip to Iran and returned to Lebanon on Feb. 20, 2020 on the same plane that carried the first infected person,” a Health Ministry statement said.

“The symptoms appeared on February 24 and the patient has since been quarantined at the Rafik Hariri University Hospital and her health condition is currently stable,” the statement added.

“Her family members and those who were close to her will be followed up daily by the Health Ministry team,” the statement said.

LBCI TV said the woman tested positive for the virus on Wednesday.

Health Minister Hamad Hasan had confirmed the first woman’s infection on Friday.

The Rafik Hariri hospital announced Tuesday that 32 people underwent examinations for the novel coronavirus over 24 hours and that seven of them were quarantined at the hospital while the others were asked to isolate themselves at their homes.

The COVID-19 outbreak first appeared in Iran last Wednesday.

Thousands of Lebanese travel to Iran every year to visit Shiite holy sites in Qom and other cities.