As post-holiday infections surge, Lebanon gears for lockdown

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon is gearing up for a new nationwide lockdown, as officials vowed Monday to take stricter measures against the coronavirus following the holiday season, which saw a large increase in infections and caused jitters in the country's already-battered health sector.

First responders say they have been transporting nearly 100 patients a day while hospitals report near-full occupancy in beds and ICUs.

Nurses say they are overwhelmed, and private hospitals have been roped into the national response despite complaints that the cash-strapped government owes them large sums of outstanding debt.

“We are facing a very critical phase and we need exceptional and firm measures as well as strict implementation,” caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab said at the start of a government meeting to discuss how to deal with the spreading virus.

A meeting of the highest security committee is to follow later in the day before new measures are announced. Armenian Orthodox Christmas is celebrated in Lebanon this week.

Lebanon, a country of nearly 6 million, including 1 million refugees, has registered around 3,000 infections cases every day for the past week — nearly doubling the number from previous weeks. Since February, nearly 190,000 infections have been recorded and almost 1,500 deaths.

The numbers began increasing this summer, following a massive explosion in Beirut’s port that shook the city and its heath sector, killing over 200 people and injuring 6,000. The infections following the August explosion increased by over 300% from the month before and have been climbing since.

Despite a two-week lockdown in November, the numbers kept increasing — only worsening with the holiday seasons and the return of nearly 80,000 expats to celebrate at home.

The holidays...