Lebanon has recorded four more infections with Covid-19 over the past 24 hours raising the country’s total to 737, the Health Ministry said.
The Ministry said the four people who tested positive are two residents of Lebanon and two expats who were evacuated from Guinea in recent days.
It indicated that 890 lab tests for residents and 468 tests for evacuated expats were carried out at 21 laboratories over the past 24 hours. The death toll remains stable at 25 while 200 people have so far recovered.
Meanwhile, Rafic Hariri Hospital announced that out of 157 laboratory examinations, no new infections were recorded. The hospital said it had received 9 suspected cases from other hospitals. Five cases had recovered, bringing the number of recovery from the virus to 141.
Lebanon has been on lockdown with its air, land and sea ports of entry closed since March 15 as part of a state of general mobilization aimed at confronting the pandemic.
However, Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmi issued a memo allowing more sectors to reopen as of Monday.
According to the memo, restaurants will be allowed to serve customers at their premises from 5:00 am to 9:00 pm. They will however be obliged to operate with only 30% of their seating capacity and will be prohibited from serving shisha.
Men’s barbershops will meanwhile operate on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, while women’s salons will operate on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Both will be allowed to open from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm and to receive customers according to prior reservations.
New and used car showrooms will be allowed to operate throughout the week.
The memo noted that “cafes, sport clubs and indoor and outdoor sport courts will remain closed” and that access to the seaside corniche will be allowed from 5:00 am till 7:00 pm.
“Citizens and those who practice the aforementioned professions must wear masks that cover their mouths and noses when they leave their houses and they must abide by health and public safety instructions, avoid crowding and maintain safe distances between individuals,” the memo added.
The first phase of the reopening plan had started on April 27 and ends on May 3. The second phase will begin on Monday, May 4, the third on May 11, the fourth on May 25 and the fifth on June 8.
