Lebanon Tuesday registered its first death case linked with the Coronavirus as the government takes measures to deal with the fast-spreading virus.
A 56-year old Lebanese man who was receiving treatment at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri state hospital passed away, the health ministry said.
He contracted the virus while on a trip in Egypt where the virus has infected 55 people and killed a German tourist.
The Middle East country reported its first case of COVID-19 Feb. 21 after a 45-year old woman who travelled to Iran tested positive upon return.
Iran is the epicenter of the outbreak in the region with 9,000 confirmed cases and 354 deaths.
At least 52 people have been reported infected in Lebanon, including 29 people who visited Egypt in February, Middle East Eye (MEE) reports.
Authorities have since February shut down schools, universities, cafés and imposed a ban on flights for non-residents from Iran, China and South Korea.
They have also ordered the cancellation or postponement of cultural events and sport tournament.
Tuesday, the parliament called off its Wednesday weekly meetings. Parliamentary Committees meetings were delayed and lawmakers’ offices in the parliament building were shut for a week for a sterilization procedure, The New Arab reports.
The global outbreak, which originated from China, has infected at least 121,739 people and caused the death of 4,382 people according to the World Health Organization.
