The rules include a curfew from 6 p.m to 6 a.m., with exceptions for disaster relief efforts around the port. Lebanon had initially been able to contain the virus with a lockdown first imposed in mid-March, which eased in stages starting in June. And even before the pandemic, the country was paralyzed by a dire economic crisis that left hospitals facing shortages. Two of the damaged hospitals had been treating Covid-19 patients. Officials had stressed the threat of a virus resurgence, as the calamity often made social distancing impossible.

Source: New York Times August 23, 2020 12:00 UTC