Health Minister Hamad Hasan announced Friday that the coronavirus situation is still under control in Lebanon.

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

Health Minister Hamad Hassan noted on Friday that shall Lebanon ease confinement measures over coronavirus, people will have to wear their face masks “at all times in public.”

His statement came as the country recorded five new cases of coronavirus which raised the tally to 891 since the first infection was detected on February 21.

President Michel Aoun followed up through measures to stop smuggling operations across illegal land crossings into Syria, especially subsidized material such as fuel, flour and others, the Presidency office said in a statement on Friday.

The Central Bank employees plan to go on strike on Monday in protest at the arrest of senior bank official Mazen Hamdan over currency manipulation accusations, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday.

Security forces seized several oil tankers and trucks smuggling basic materials through illegal crossings from Lebanon into Syria, MTV station reported on Friday.

Lebanon on Thursday ordered the seizure of all contraband goods at its border with Syria after a controversy over fuel smuggling, as both countries face economic crises.

Lebanon is mired in its worst economic crunch in decades and public pressure has mounted for a tougher approach to smuggling, especially of fuel and flour.

Lebanese prosecutors on Thursday ordered the arrest of a senior central bank official as part of an investigation into exchange rate manipulations as the country struggles with a major currency crisis.

After reversing an earlier decision easing confinement measures over a spike in coronavirus, eight new cases were recorded on Thursday including two Lebanese expats repatriated recently.

The government’s reinstated nationwide lockdown began on Thursday following a spike in reported coronavirus cases in Lebanon, as the health minister said the efficiency of the measure will be accessed on Sunday when the four-day lockdown ends.