Hasan: Rise in Coronavirus Cases Not Catastrophic, Quarantine is Inevitable

Health Minister Hamad Hasan noted on Wednesday that home quarantine is inevitable in order to stop the spread of coronavirus, adding that the government could consider a lockdown extension.

In a statement he made after the introduction of coronavirus PCR examination device to the Baalbek Governmental Hospital, he assured that an increase in the number of people detected with coronavirus is normal until the quarantine ends.

“The rise in the number of coronavirus cases is normal, it is not catastrophic. We will receive cases according to the available capabilities and our plan is set with a very realistic level,” he assured.

However, the Minister stressed that “home quarantine is inevitable. It is the first line of defense and without it all other things will fall apart.”

The two-week general mobilization state announced by the government to confront the spread of the virus ends on March 29th, “the government collectively takes a decision to extend it based on field data and based on the report of the Ministry of Health after calculating the number of cases,” concluded Hasan.

President Michel Aoun marked Annunciation Day on Wednesday calling on the Lebanese people to stay safe at home and raise prayers so that Lebanon is able to overcome the spread of the novel coronavirus.

“Make the Annunciation Day an occasion for prayer with the aim of consolidating our national unity after it was proven to all that our national unity is our shield in distress and hardship,” said Aoun.

He pointed out that “this initiative is a global Muslim-Christian message that we are raising from Lebanon, in order to ward off the threat of the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic, so that the life cycle will return to normal soon.”

The President also urged the Lebanese to abide by home quarantine and not to leave home to contain its outbreak.

Lebanon has so far confirmed 304 coronavirus cases among them four deaths and eight recoveries.

It has declared a so-called state of general mobilization in bid to limit the spread of the virus.

Naharnet