Lebanon returns to lockdown as virus cases spike
The lockdown, which runs through Feb. 1, mandates an overnight curfew and the closure of most businesses.
Lebanon entered a three-week nationwide lockdown on Thursday, in what the government hopes will stave off a surge in infections and hospitalizations that could overwhelm a health care system already under strain.
The restrictions, which include a curfew from 6:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., will last through Feb. 1, caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hasan said on Monday. Restaurants are closed for in-person dining, and schools and universities must operate remotely.
Under the new rules, traffic will be limited by alternating the days on which odd- and even-numbered license plates are allowed on the road. The Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut will operate at a reduced capacity.
The 25-day lockdown marks Lebanon’s third this year. The small Mediterranean country imposed a lockdown in March, during which citizens and residents could leave their homes only for food and essentials. In November, Lebanon implemented a two-week lockdown as the availability of hospital beds waned and the caseload spiked.
