Caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab Tuesday announced a fresh two-week lockdown to stem the spread of coronavirus despite a grinding economic crisis that has already battered businesses.

President Michel Aoun urged the Lebanese on Tuesday to abide by the upcoming lockdown directions to curb the spread of coronavirus cases in Lebanon.

“In order to contain the spread of the virus, Lebanese citizens must abide by the measures that will be taken, abide by the prevention methods, and cooperate with the competent authorities because the situation has become very dangerous,” said Aoun during the Higher Defense Council meeting at Baabda Palace.

A new round of sea border demarcation talks between the Lebanese and Israeli sides is scheduled to launch on Tuesday, amid “alerts” raised by Lebanese experts that Israel “leaked” the minutes of the meetings to the media, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Tuesday.

French presidential envoy, Ambassador Pierre Duquesne is scheduled to arrive in Beirut on Wednesday for talks with Lebanese officials on the French plan, and the stalled government formation, the Saudi Asharq el-Awsat newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil hit back swiftly on Monday at remarks made by U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea.

U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea on Monday said Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil had recently expressed to her his “willingness to break with Hizbullah.”

“Mr. Bassil may think that it serves his cause to selectively leak information about our exchanges, taken out of context,” Shea said in a video statement.

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

The central bank and commercial banks’ decision to lower the caps on withdrawals in Lebanese lira has “dangerous repercussions on food security” in the country, a syndicate chief warned on Monday.

The Beirut Traders Association announced Monday that the entire commercial sector “categorically rejects obliging commercial institutions, shops and markets to close for up to two weeks as being reported by governmental and administrative sources.”

A gathering of Lebanese Christians, known as “Lady of the Mountain Gathering” urged President Michel Aoun on Monday to resign from office over the deteriorating economic, financial and living conditions in the country.