Lebanon Restaurants Closed over Coronavirus Fears

Lebanon’s restaurants will close as a precaution against the COVID-19 coronavirus but delivery services will remain active, their syndicate announced on Wednesday.

The syndicate said the decision was taken despite “the syndicate’s readiness and the health precautions that have been taken” and following “several meetings with Tourism Minister Ramzi Msharrafiyeh.”

“We decided that closure for a certain period is in everyone’s interest,” the head of the syndicate said, calling on the tourism minister to offer the syndicate “ultimate support” to secure the continuity of the restaurants industry after the crisis.

“We also ask banks, suppliers and the owners of properties to cooperate and take these extraordinary circumstances into consideration,” the head of the syndicate added.

Earlier in the day, Lebanon recorded its second death from the virus as eight more infections were confirmed, raising the country’s overall cases to 61, the Health Ministry said.

Media reports later said that seven more cases were confirmed.

Lebanon has already closed educational institutions, sports clubs, nightclubs, pubs, fairs and other venues as a precaution against the virus.

The government’s anti-coronavirus committee will meanwhile hold a press conference at 5:00 pm to announce further measures.