50 New Virus Cases in Lebanon as Hasan Says One Infected 42

Lebanon recorded a significant uptick of 50 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, as Health Minister Hamad Hasan said a woman repatriated from abroad has infected 42 people in the Iqlim al-Kharroub town of Barja.

In its daily statement, the Ministry said 42 of the cases were recorded among residents and that 33 of them have been traced to known infected individuals. The other eight were recorded among repatriated Lebanese expats.

One more death was also recorded over the past 24 hours, raising the country's death toll to 28.

The Ministry said 36 of the new cases were recorded in Barja, six in nearby Jadra, five in Ghobeiri, one in Ras al-Nabeh, one in Aramoun and one in Majdal Anjar.

The new cases raise the country's tally to 1,306.

The Health Minister meanwhile said that he will meet Friday with governors to “take the appropriate decision on those coming from abroad.”

“We either enforce compulsory home quarantine with signed pledges from the repatriated expats or we refer the positive cases to government hospitals,” he added.

“When people and expats stay home and do not create a situation, as happened in Barja, we will then be able to talk about reopening the airport, especially that a repatriated woman carrying the virus had transferred it to 42 people in Barja,” Hasan went on to say.

The Minister also noted that he has signed an order to reopen nurseries with a capacity of 25% each as of June 8.