Lebanon to Begin Lockdown Saturday, Qatar Donates Field Hospitals

Lebanon’s anti-coronavirus ministerial committee on Monday agreed on enforcing a general lockdown from Saturday morning until November 30, TV networks said.

Al-Jadeed TV said the decision was taken through a vote and that the final decision will be taken by the Higher Defense Council on Tuesday.

LBCI television meanwhile reported that the lockdown will not apply to Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport, which will remain open to flights.

Caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hassan told the TV station that he “insisted on securing the appropriate circumstances for the lockdown.”

“I have asked the Defense Ministry to check on the food parcels so that they be provided to the poorest families and we must secure the success of this lockdown,” Hassan added.

“A two-week lockdown is something logical and it is true that there are social and economic concerns, but we have reached a stage in which it is difficult to provide beds to coronavirus patients, and within two weeks we will equip 60 ICU beds in government hospitals,” the minister went on to say.

LBCI meanwhile reported that Qatari Ambassador to Lebanon Mohammed Hassan Jaber al-Jaber has called Hassan to inform him that Qatar will donate two field hospitals to Lebanon.

“The first will be set up in the Tyre region and will contain 500 beds and the second will be set up in the North-Tripoli region and will also contain 500 beds,” the TV network added.