Progressive Socialist Party leader ex-MP Walid Jumblat on Tuesday said Lebanon must shut down all crossings into the country to prevent further spread of the coronavirus disease.

Lebanon on Monday barred a Syrian bus from entering the country after suspecting that a girl on it is infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus, as an Iranian plane carrying 178 passengers landed at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport.

“After the medical team at the al-Qaa border crossing suspected that an infected girl was on the bus which was carrying 30 passengers, the decision was taken to return the bus to Syria,” the National News Agency said.

The U.N.'s envoy to war-plagued Libya, Ghassan Salame, announced his resignation on Monday citing health reasons, nearly three years after taking up the post.

"I tried to unite Libyans and restrain foreign interference... but for health reasons I can no longer continue with this level of stress and therefore I have asked the (U.N.) secretary-general to relieve me of my duties," Salame tweeted.

Lebanon’s coronavirus infections rose to thirteen on Monday after three new cases were confirmed.

The Health Ministry said the three individuals had been in home quarantine after having come in contact with an infected person who had been diagnosed earlier.

Prime Minister Hassan Diab announced Monday that Lebanon’s final decision on whether or not to pay a $1.2 billion Eurobond debt that matures on March 9 will be taken Friday or Saturday.

“The decision will preserve the rights of small and medium depositors as well as Lebanon’s interest,” Diab added after a high-level financial meeting at the Grand Serail.

The Israeli army installed a “device” reportedly a surveillance camera at the al-Abbad border post opposite the Southern Lebanese village of Hawla, the National News Agency reported on Monday.

Prime Minister Hassan Diab said on Monday that Lebanon is passing through a very difficult phase and that the government is going to take “decisive” decisions to overcome the crisis.

Financial Prosecutor Judge Ali Ibrahim began a hearing on “suspicious” amounts of money transferred abroad after the October 17 uprising, the National News Agency reported on Monday.

Health Minister Hamad Hassan on Monday said the novel coronavirus is “not a pandemic” in Lebanon assuring that cancellation of a flight that was scheduled to land in Beirut was a “proof that the cabinet decision to suspend flights from infected countries came into effect.”

Lebanon on Sunday confirmed three new coronavirus cases, raising the overall tally to ten.

“Three new lab-verified cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 have been recorded,” the Health Ministry said in a statement.