Lebanon’s Health Minister Says COVID Cases Rising, Beds Won’t Suffice

  • Date: 03-Dec-2020
  • Source: Asharq AL-awsat
  • Sector:Healthcare
  • Country:Lebanon
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Lebanon’s Health Minister Says COVID Cases Rising, Beds Won’t Suffice

Lebanon's Minister of Health, Hamad Hasan and Iman Shankiti, WHO representative in Lebanon, attend a news conference, after the country's first case of the novel coronavirus was confirmed, in Beirut, Lebanon February 21, 2020. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir





Lebanon will not have enough hospital beds to cope with increasing COVID-19 cases, caretaker Health Minister warned Thursday, saying compliance with a two-week lockdown that ended this week had been patchy.

In a Tweet, Hassan said cases were on the rise and although more hospital beds had been added, these would not be enough.

Intensive care units were at critical capacity when Lebanon ordered the lockdown and caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab had warned the shutdown may be extended if people did not comply.

The health ministry said on Wednesday 1,842 COVID-19 cases and 22 deaths had been recorded in the past 24 hours. Recorded deaths due to COVID-19 total 1,055.

On top of the COVID-19 pandemic,