Lebanese caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hasan announced on Monday general alert over a sharp surge in coronavirus cases and deaths, disclosing that a new lockdown will take place.

“We declare today a state of general alert and we need a brave decision to close (the country) for two weeks,” Hasan told Voice of Lebanon radio on Monday morning.

“The last figures are shocking and we are all before a real challenge,” the minister said, noting that Beirut Port blasts contributed to such spike.

“We are heading for a (new) lockdown as the ICU departments at both private and public hospitals in Beirut are full.”

For his part, Firas Abiad, director general of Rafik Hariri University Hospital, warned that without a new lockdown Lebanon will have more surge in coronavirus cases.

“Some people are still not taking this disease seriously,” he said in remarks carried by local media.

“The lockdown should be implemented before it’s too late. The spike in coronavirus cases will lead hospitals to reach their capacity and this is disastrous!”

In its daily report, Lebanese Health Ministry confirmed 439 new coronavirus infections and six related fatalities in the highest daily death toll since February.

Source: Al-Manar English Website