New Batch of Expats to Arrive Thursday as Lebanon Records 7 New Virus Cases

As Lebanon prepares to welcome a new batch of expats returning to Lebanon, the Health Ministry said seven new cases of coronavirus were detected on Thursday without any new deaths.

The Ministry said the number of laboratory-confirmed cases of the novel COVID-19 until April 9 reached 582 in total, including an expat who tested positive.

The number of deaths remains unchanged at 19.

Four MEA airplanes - from Doha, Frankfurt, Akra and London- transporting Lebanese expats are expected to land at the Rafik Hariri International Airport on Thursday.

Lebanon on Sunday started repatriating nationals who were stranded abroad in its first flights in weeks since it closed its international airport to stem the novel coronavirus.

Many Lebanese work abroad, in the Gulf or in Africa, while thousands of youth study in Europe.

The Mediterranean country announced a lockdown and closed its airport from March 19 as part of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, which has officially infected 582 people and killed 19 nationwide.