An Economic and Financial meeting chaired by President Michel Aoun kicked off at Baabda Presidential Palace on Saturday, media office of the Presidency said on Twitter.

Progressive Socialist Party MP Bilal Abdullah voiced calls on Saturday to declare a “public health emergency” after the health minister’s announcement that the COVID-19 virus is no longer in the containment phase.

Prime Minister Hassan Diab will on Saturday announce Lebanon’s official stance on whether or not to pay a $1.2 billion Eurobond debt that matures on March 9, TV networks said.

Diab will declare the position in an address to the nation at 6:30 pm, the networks said.

Lebanon’s government-linked anti-coronavirus committee on Friday recommended extending the closure of educational institutions and nurseries until March 14 and called for shutting down sport clubs, nightclubs, cinemas, fairs, theaters and other venues that witness gatherings.

The panel also recommended calling on all citizens to “avoid gatherings and abide by the Health Ministry’s health instructions, especially as to safe distance between individuals, direct contact with others and the rest of the directions.”

Health Minister Hamad Hasan on Friday warned that the COVID-19 coronavirus is no longer in the containment phase in Lebanon after “four cases of unknown source” were recorded.

The Rafik Hariri University Hospital later confirmed six new infections, which raises Lebanon's overall tally to 22.

Lebanon's central bank on Friday sought to rein in exchange rates and enforce a cap on the local currency in the parallel market to contain its unofficial devaluation.

The Lebanese Army assured on Friday that its troops are in good health denying rumors of coronavirus cases among its ranks.

Speaker Nabih Berri said no interference was made on his part into a judicial decision--suspended later-- that froze the assets of twenty Lebanese banks, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday.

Lebanon's attorney general has suspended an order freezing the assets of 20 banks and their directors over concerns about its impact on the country's fragile economy, state-run media said.

A number of politicians on Thursday blasted a decision by Financial Prosecutor Ali Ibrahim to freeze the assets of 20 Lebanese banks, as Speaker Nabih Berri denied influencing the prosecutor’s ruling.

“Some suspicious TV networks aired news claiming that the parliament speaker was behind the decision taken by Financial Prosecutor Ali Ibrahim towards the banks. The press office of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri stresses that Mr. Speaker has not and will never interfere in the work of the judiciary,” the office said in a statement, noting that the reports are “totally baseless.”