Lebanon has seen an increase in cases of coronavirus, less than two weeks after practically ending its foreclosure.
At the start of the pandemic, the eastern Mediterranean country took aggressive measures to stem the spread of the virus.
36 people have died in Covid-19 since the first case reported in February.
But less than two weeks after the capital's airport reopened, infections increased rapidly. The country reported 166 new cases yesterday, a record for the country.
In talks with local TV stations, Health Minister Hamad Hassan said 122 of these cases came from an anonymous cleaning company, adding that the government would continue to contain the cluster escapes and avoid strengthen locking measures.
"Our admission capacities in public hospitals are acceptable and the departments are ready," Hassan told local LBCI television on Sunday, according to the national news agency. "Despite the high number of cases of coronavirus, things are still on plan," he added.
Economic fears: The Lebanese authorities, who are at the heart of its worst economic crisis in decades, also wanted to avoid a deadlock.
At the end of last month, the country's currency lost most of its value, but started to rise again, a few days after the reopening of Beirut International Airport.
Warning to healthcare workers: Health care workers say the situation could take a dangerous turn. Hospitals - already plagued by long power outages and drug shortages - can bend under the pressure of an increasing workload, doctors say.
"Two days ago (there are), we had ... almost 20 hours of power cuts per day, and it was very brutal for us because it consumed a large part of our stored fuel", said Firass Abiad, director of Rafik Hariri University Hospital, where the majority of Beirut's coronavirus cases are treated.
Abiad told CNN's Ben Wedeman that he expects the situation to become "more difficult" in the days and weeks to come. "If we can continue to find solutions ... I don't know."
