Second coronavirus case confirmed in Lebanon

The COVID-19 virus was confirmed to be found in a second person in Lebanon, according to the country's Ministry of Public Health.

MENA

1 min read

The New Arab & agencies

26 February, 2020

The patient was on the same plane as Lebanon's first coronavirus patient [Getty]

Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health confirmed the country's second case of the novel coronavirus on Wednesday, according to a post on the ministry's Facebook page.

The patient, a woman, returned to Lebanon from a week-long religious visit in Iran, the ministry stated. She flew in last week on the same plane as the country's first coronavirus patient, a 45-year-old Lebanese woman who travelled from Qom in Iran.

After the COVID-19 virus was found in the second patient, she was placed in quarantine at Rafik Hariri University Hospital in Beirut, according to the ministry. Her condition is stable.

The ministry stated it will be tracking the patient's family members.

On Tuesday, the Lebanese government banned nationals from taking part in pilgrimages to Iran and other Middle Eastern countries after an explosion of fresh coronavirus cases were reported in the region.

Thousands of Lebanese people travel to Iran every year to visit Shia holy sites in Qom and other cities.

Iran has the highest death toll outside of China, with 19 killed amid 139 cases confirmed on Wednesday.

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