Najia Houssari

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s parliament has decided to close MPs’ offices and postpone parliamentary meetings for one week amid the spread of coronavirus in the country, said Health Minister Hamad Hassan, with 41 confirmed cases.

A Health Ministry source said: “The new cases in Lebanon, including three children, were the result of contact with those who were already infected in the country.”

Dr. Abdul Rahman Bizri, a specialist in infectious diseases and a member of the emergency committee on coronavirus, told Arab News: “Coronavirus is still in the early stages of spreading in the country. We’re still able to follow up on the people who’ve been infected, where they came from, and those to whom they might have transmitted the virus.”

He said: “The situation in Lebanon is still reassuring to some extent, compared to other countries around the world.”

He added: “The first case, who came from (the Iranian city of) Qom, has recovered but is still in hospital because she’s a carrier and we don’t know when she’ll be virus-free. Other people have also recovered, including children, who are able to heal from the virus unlike the elderly.”

Meetings are being held with “university hospitals across Lebanon to start conducting coronavirus tests and using their laboratories,” Bizri said.

Former Hezbollah MP Mahmoud Qamati denied rumors that he has coronavirus, and his media office said he “would not hide any news related to his health.”

Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines announced on Monday the suspension of its flights from and to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar until further notice, “in light of the decisions taken by some countries regarding travel bans to avoid the spread of the new coronavirus.” The airline waived all penalties and restrictions related to its tickets.

As no coronavirus cases have yet been reported in Turkey, Arab News has learned that many travelers coming from countries that have suspended flights to Lebanon are flying to Turkey to secure their arrival to Lebanon.

The situation in Lebanon is still reassuring to some extent, compared to other countries around the world.

Dr. Abdul Rahman Bizri, Specialist in infectious diseases

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari retweeted the decision to include Lebanon in the list of countries that the Kingdom has suspended travel from and to, not including evacuations and trade trips.

While cleaning and disinfection operations continue in Lebanese official and private institutions, people have been going out less as Tourism Minister Ramzi Al-Musharafieh ordered the closure of bars and nightclubs until March 15.  

He has also banned concerts and music shows in restaurants and cafes, and urged “restaurants to commit to preventive measures and safety instructions to limit the spread of coronavirus.” Nurseries, schools, universities, cinemas and gyms across the country remain closed.

Meanwhile, a Lebanese citizen holding Canadian nationality who escaped the coronavirus emergency section at Rafik Hariri Hospital in Beirut was arrested at the airport as he tried to flee to Canada.

He had refused to get tested after showing symptoms, but was returned to the hospital for testing.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ahmed Al-Samadi, director of Saida Governmental Hospital, confirmed a new case of coronavirus at the hospital on Sunday night.

He said a patient from the Mieh Mieh Palestinian refugee camp had arrived at the hospital with a high fever.

The patient was placed in quarantine and was then taken to Rafik Hariri Hospital for testing.

Hospitals receiving suspicious cases are implementing strict sterilization procedures to reassure other patients in light of rumors about cases being secretly treated.

Some hospitals have even decided to ban patient visits.

Hospital workers have also been receiving training to deal with suspicious cases.