Lebanon Extends Nighttime Curfew in Fight Against Pandemic

Arab World

November 1st, 4:36pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

Customers wearing face masks and gloves queue outside a supermarket, during a lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Beirut, Lebanon, April 6, 2020. Photo by REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir.

Lebanese authorities on Sunday lengthened a nationwide nighttime curfew and placed a number of towns and villages under total lockdown after a relentless surge in coronavirus cases. The decisions of Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmi increase a nighttime curfew by four hours, asking people to stay off the streets and shops to close between 9pm local time and 5am. It did not set an end date. The Ministry also put 115 towns and villages in total lockdown for a week because of a high infection rate and “high level of danger.” Restaurants and cafes are to continue to operate at 50 percent capacity while public gatherings and parties are barred, the Ministry said. Lebanon has been witnessing a surge in infections, deaths and intensive care unit occupancy over the past weeks that brought the recorded cases to over 80,000. According to health ministry data, the number of recorded COVID-19 cases nearly doubled between September and October. The percentage of positive tests has increased to over 12 percent for every 100 tests and the average age of those who die from the virus has gone down.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2599376/lebanon-extends-nighttime-curfew-fight-against-pandemic