
A Lebanese Red Cross ambulance parks in front of Rafik Hariri University Hospital. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine/L’Orient-Le Jour)
BEIRUT — The Health Ministry on Saturday said that it confirmed two cases of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus.
Here is what we know:
• In a statement, the ministry said the two infected individuals were quarantined at home and exhibiting mild symptoms, adding that they had arrived to Lebanon from Africa.
• On Thursday, Health Minister Firass Abiad announced the then-suspected cases in a press conference, in which he explained that the new variant is transmitted faster than other strains of COVID-19 and that the majority of Lebanon’s COVID-19 cases were from the Delta variant of the virus.
• The Health Ministry called for Lebanese residents to get vaccinated and noted that a vaccine drive is underway this weekend, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at participating hospitals.
Here is what we know:
• In a statement, the ministry said the two infected individuals were quarantined at home and exhibiting mild symptoms, adding that they had arrived to Lebanon from Africa.
• On Thursday, Health Minister Firass Abiad announced the then-suspected cases in a press conference, in which he explained that the new variant is transmitted faster than other strains of COVID-19 and that the majority of Lebanon’s COVID-19 cases were from the Delta variant of the virus.
• The Health Ministry called for Lebanese residents to get vaccinated and noted that a vaccine drive is underway this weekend, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at participating...