The committee of the employees and contract workers of the state-run Rafik Hariri University Hospital on Wednesday declared an open-ended strike at a time the hospital is leading Lebanon’s medical response against the coronavirus epidemic.

The committee said it took its decision due to “all the threats, difficulties and hard circumstances that the hospital’s workers are going through and the blatant carelessness of the administration and the officials concerned.”

Lebanon on Wednesday banned all flights from Italy, Iran, South Korea and China as a precaution against the spread of the novel coronavirus, giving its citizens in France, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Germany, Spain and the UK a four-day deadline to return home.

The measures were announced by Prime Minister Hassan Diab following a meeting for the country’s anti-coronavirus committee.

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Wednesday urged Lebanese authorities to “close the doors in the face of coronavirus from whichever country it may come, brotherly, friendly, near or far.”

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.”

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Wednesday called for declaring a health emergency in Lebanon and said authorities’ response to the coronavirus crisis has been insufficient due to “political reasons.”

“A serious health emergency must be declared, especially as to providing public and private hospitals with all the necessary equipment and taking the maximum precaution measures,” Geagea tweeted.

A person coming the United States is infected with the coronavirus and there are 15 infected people at a quarantined ward at the Notre Dame des Secours hospital in Jbeil, Amchit municipal chief Antoine Issa told Radio Voice of Lebanon on Wednesday.

The radio network said a state of panic is engulfing the Jbeil district, amid calls for closing public and private institutions, restaurants, leisure places and assembly venues.

The Health Ministry on Wednesday released a report detailing how the country’s 61 coronavirus patients were infected and their ages.

It said 37% of them came from abroad -- Egypt, the UK, Iran and Switzerland. Fifty-eight percent were meanwhile infected by those coming from foreign countries.

Lebanon on Wednesday recorded its second death from the COVID-19 coronavirus as eight more infections were confirmed, raising the country’s overall cases to 61.

As the National News Agency confirmed the second death, TV networks identified the victim as 55-year-old teacher Maroun Karam.

Lebanese banks Tuesday agreed to lift certain restrictions imposed last year to stem a crippling liquidity crisis, the National News Agency said.

Lebanon is grappling with its worst economic crisis in decades, as well as widespread public discontent with the political class since October.

Lebanon on Tuesday confirmed eleven new coronavirus cases, raising the country’s overall tally to 52.

The director of the state-run Rafik Hariri University Hospital said the 11 cases were confirmed after lab tests for 202 suspected cases over the past 24 hours.