7 MEA Flights to Arrive Friday in Beirut

Seven Middle East Airlines planes carrying evacuated Lebanese expats will arrive Friday in Beirut, the National News Agency said.

The flights are part of the third phase of the government's repatriation plan.

They will arrive from Frankfurt (5pm), Paris (6pm), Milan (7pm), Madrid (8pm), Accra (11pm), Kinshasa (12:30am Saturday) and London (1:30am Saturday).

Six of the flights come from countries where coronavirus tests (PCR) are not being conducted prior to departures, NNA said, which means that the passengers will be tested on arrival.

The agency added that the Frankfurt, Paris and London flights will also carry evacuated Lebanese coming from the U.S., Canada and South America.

Lebanon on Tuesday ordered a four-day-long lockdown to stem the spread of the coronavirus after recording an uptick in infections in recent days amid eased restrictions. 

Lebanon has officially announced 891 cases of COVID-19, including 26 deaths.

The new virus cases include repatriated Lebanese nationals who have returned to the country en masse in recent weeks.