Lebanon lockdown extension recommended as cabbies, soldiers clash at airport

Lebanon lockdown extension recommended as cabbies, soldiers clash at airport

Author: Wed, 2021-01-20 21:37

BEIRUT: The Lebanese Health Ministry's Scientific Committee on Combating the Coronavirus Pandemic has recommended extending lockdown by at least two weeks.

In the past week, the country registered a new record for daily coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases. More than 78,812 cases were recorded in the past 20 days, which has led doctors to conclude that Lebanon has lost control over the virus.

Sixty-one new deaths were announced on Tuesday, a record high in Lebanon. The Higher Defense Council is expected to hold an emergency session on Thursday to assess the situation.

On Wednesday, taxi drivers clashed with soldiers in front of the Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut. Taxi drivers had previously blocked the road leading to the airport with their vehicles, protesting the effect of lockdown measures on their work. 

The army intervened to reopen the road. Some protesters were injured after being beaten with rifle butts.

The airport's security command said: "Due to the lockdown and curfew in place, taxi drivers are banned from operating without permission. The current measures to transport travelers at the airport are temporary and everything will go back to normal once the lockdown is over. However, the command will not allow the airport's security to be