Geagea Urges Country's Lockdown, Says LF May Sue Diab, Hasan

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Friday urged the government to lockdown the entire country as a precaution against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, warning that the LF may file lawsuits against Prime Minister Hassan Diab and Health Minister Hamad Hasan should the infections increase dramatically.

“If the government doesn’t take the necessary measures, and if we reach the state which we believe will be reached – a significant increase in the coronavirus infections in Lebanon in a manner that exceeds the capacity of hospitals and medical crews and infrastructure and people start dying on the streets, we will file lawsuits against PM Hassan Diab and Health Minister Hassan Diab, seeing as we represent broad popular segments,” Geagea said at a press conference.

He said the government should immediately lockdown the whole country, warning that should the disease spread “we will see people dying before reaching hospitals and others piled at the gates of hospitals for a simple reason, which is that we don’t have medical equipment.”

Lebanon has so far confirmed 77 coronavirus cases among them three fatalities.

On Wednesday, the country closed restaurants and cafes and announced the suspension of flights from 11 virus-hit nations, giving Lebanese citizens a four-day deadline to return from seven countries.

Educational institutions, sport clubs, nightclubs, pubs and other gathering venues had been closed since several days.

Health Minister Hamad Hasan said Thursday that Lebanon cannot declare an official state of emergency seeing as that would harm daily income workers.