The Order of Nurses warned in a statement Friday of the renewed dangers of COVID-19 in Lebanon. (Credit: João Sousa/L’Orient Today)
BEIRUT — Lebanon’s Order of Nurses has warned of the “renewed danger” of COVID-19 amid an uptick in positive cases and hospitalizations in recent weeks while the international community warily eyes the new Omicron variant of the virus.
Here is what we know:
• “The health of citizens is still in danger,” the syndicate said in a statement Friday, adding that with the holiday season approaching at year’s end, it warns the public against “recklessness” in the face of COVID-19.
• The Order of Nurses called on the public to adhere to public health measures such as mask wearing, social distancing and avoiding crowded places. It also noted that approximately only 35 percent of Lebanon’s population has received COVID-19 vaccines.
• In its latest COVID-19 report on Thursday, the Health Ministry reported that 38.6 percent of Lebanon’s population over the age of 12 has received a single dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 33.1 percent of the population has received two doses.
• In the past two weeks, ICU hospitalizations for COVID-19 have risen from 190 to 254, a 33.7 percent increase. Case counts have also steadily risen in this time, while positivity rates have increased.
• On Wednesday, Lebanese authorities agreed to move forward with a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew starting from Dec. 17 until to Jan. 9 for people who have not received at least one dose of a vaccine or have a recent negative PCR test.