Lebanon confirmed 75 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, raising the total to 2,977.
Of the new cases, 63 were detected among the local population and 12 from incoming travelers to Lebanon.
The total number of PCR tests administered over the last 24 hours was 6,944, which included both locals and passengers arriving in Lebanon, according to the Health Ministry.
Lebanon has seen a surge in cases since the country’s only international airport reopened almost one ago. Beirut's airport reopened to tourists July 1 but the recent surge in cases has largely been detected among the local population.
While cases detected have risen dramatically so has testing capacity, which rarely exceeded 2,000 PCR tests a day before early June.
Health Minister Hamad Hasan warned earlier Tuesday that Lebanon was “at the door of the fourth stage and we will work hard to improve the situation and return to the third stage.”
An epidemic reacheds the fourth stage when it has become uncontrollable and large clusters of coronavirus are found across a country. The third stage is when new cases are spreading within the community and some are untraceable.
A 32-year-old doctor died Monday after suffering from respiratory issues. Dr. Loay Ismail had caught the virus from a patient while on duty at the Lebanese Italian hospital in Tyre.
This brings the total number of deaths in Lebanon to 41 since the virus was first detected in February.
This article has been adapted from its original source
