Lebanon on Wednesday confirmed 17 more novel coronavirus cases, which raises the country's total to 658, the Health Ministry said.

Minister of Finance Ghazi Wazni assured on Wednesday that the Ministry is willing to pay "part" of the sums due to hospitals in a bid to mitigate the financial difficulties they are enduring mainly in light of the coronavirus outbreak, the National News Agency reported.

Wazni’s comments came during a meeting he held with the Head of the Syndicate of Hospitals in Lebanon, Sleiman Haroun and in the presence of Head of the Finance and Budget Parliamentary Committee MP Ibrahim Kanaan, added NNA.

President Michel Aoun met on Wednesday at Baabda Presidential Palace with UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Lebanon, Philippe Lazzarini, who came on a farewell visit upon his appointment as UNRWA's new Commissioner-General, the Presidency press office said.

Nine consecutive earthquakes hit Lebanon on Wednesday and some were felt in several Lebanese regions, media reports said.

Prime Minister Hassan Diab is set to address the Lebanese on Thursday on the coronavirus crisis in the country and the government’s reform financial plan, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Wednesday.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Tuesday noted that proposals for a deposits haircut and capital control have been born dead.

Lebanon on Tuesday confirmed nine more coronavirus cases as another death was recorded, the Health Ministry said.

New planes repatriating Lebanese expats are expected to land in Beirut on Monday, this time carrying passengers from the Saudi city of Jeddah, Paris, Libreville and London.

The Israeli army launched eight photoflash bombs overnight over al-Shahal area on the outskirts of the town of Shebaa in the district of Hasbaya, the National News Agency reported on Monday.

Moreover, an Israeli spy plane conducted intensive overflights over Beirut and its southern suburbs all day on Sunday, NNA said.

Prime Minister Hassan Diab reportedly held a meeting with political aide to Speaker Nabih Berri, former Minister and MP Ali Hassan Khalil who relayed the Speaker’s rejection of any economic rescue plan targeting bank savings of Lebanese through a “haircut” procedure, the Saudi Asharq al-Awsat reported on Monday.