Lebanon: COVID Cases Almost as Much as Number of Vaccinated People

Arab World

June 3rd, 5:30am

Beirut - Asharq Al-Awsat

Medical staff members work at an intensive care unit for patients suffering from the coronavirus disease, at Rafik Hariri University Hospital, in Beirut, Lebanon Jan. 21, 2021. (Reuters)

Lebanon reported a decline in coronavirus infections and deaths in the past few weeks over the mass vaccination campaign, bringing the number of vaccinated people and those infected to equal rates. The Lebanese Health Ministry said that the country recorded 242 covid-19 cases and six deaths over the past 24 hours. The new cases bring the total number of infections in Lebanon since the virus was first detected in the country in February 2020 to 540,630. Also, a total of 513,000 individuals had received the first virus jab, while the number of people who are now fully vaccinated reached 252,000. Meanwhile, the president of the National Federation of Trade Unions and Employees in Lebanon, Castro Abdallah, met with Fadi Sinan, acting director-general of the Health Ministry, to discuss launching vaccination centers on Sundays to allow migrant workers to receive the vaccine, the NNA reported Wednesday. The possibility of vaccinating 20-40-year-old workers in institutional and industrial sectors was also discussed, as the nature of work requires interacting with people and moving around, the union's statement detailed. However, Rafik Hariri Hospital Director Firas Abiad warned that “the healthcare system is unraveling at an accelerated pace; the damage may soon become permanent." "When neglected, the illness usually becomes worse with time, not better. So too do public health services. Without a safety net, all of society will suffer, and not just the poor," Abiad noted in a tweet.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3006721/lebanon-covid-cases-almost-much-number-vaccinated-people