Lebanon, Morocco record first novel coronavirus deaths

BEIRUT/ RABAT (AFP) — A Lebanese man died Tuesday from the novel coronavirus, a health ministry official said, marking the country's first recorded death from an epidemic that has infected 52 people nationwide.

The 56-year-old had been receiving treatment at Beirut's Rafik Hariri state hospital, the ministry official told AFP, adding that he had recently returned from Egypt, where novel coronavirus infections have also been detected.

Lebanon, already hit by economic collapse and anti-government protests, is now grappling with an outbreak of the deadly illness — its latest in a long list of crises.

Authorities on Tuesday said they had recorded 11 new cases in the past 24 hours.

Health Minister Hamad Hassan said last week that the country has moved beyond the phase of "containment" and was bracing for a more serious outbreak.

Schools, universities, cafes, pubs and other public places have since been ordered shut over fears of the virus' spread.

Sport tournaments have been postponed and cultural events cancelled.

According to the health minister, the origins of Lebanon’s cases have mostly been traced to other countries.

Lebanon has said it would deny entry to non-resident foreigners arriving from China, South Korea, Iran and Italy, which are among the hardest hit by the epidemic.

Also on Tuesday, Morocco’s health ministry said the country had recorded its first death linked to the new coronavirus, an 89-year-old woman who suffered from chronic health problems.

The woman, a Moroccan citizen who had been living in Italy, “suffered from chronic illnesses affecting the respiratory and cardiovascular system”, the ministry said in a statement.

She returned to Morocco in late February, before testing positive for the virus and being transferred under medical supervision to a hospital in Casablanca, according to the statement.

Two other infections have been confirmed in the kingdom — a Moroccan man who came home from Italy and a French tourist who arrived in Marrakesh on Saturday. Both are under medical supervision.

Moroccan authorities have imposed restrictions on sporting and cultural events, including closing stadia to the public.

Local media outlets have reported that the vital tourism sector is being hit by cancellations of travel bookings.

Several people have been arrested by authorities in recent days for allegedly spreading misinformation on coronavirus on social networks.