The Minister of Public Health in the caretaker government, Dr. Firas Al-Abyad, presented the epidemiological situation in Lebanon, particularly regarding cholera, and confirmed that it is "under control" in light of the limited number of daily confirmed cases and the reasonable number of suspected cases recorded at the beginning of the outbreak. He stated in a press conference held at the Ministry of Public Health that "the number of confirmed cases has reached 653, while the cumulative number, including suspected cases, is 4,912." Recently, deaths occurred due to infections among several elderly individuals in a nursing home, prompting the ministry to initiate a dual campaign last week with the Lebanese Red Cross to distribute the cholera and COVID-19 vaccines in elderly care homes and secondary hospitals.
The Minister expressed satisfaction with the progress of this campaign, aiming to secure protection for the community. He announced that “the first phase of the cholera vaccination campaign has ended,” presenting its results with numbers: Approximately 500,000 people received the vaccine (specifically 479,582, representing eighty percent of the targeted population, distributed as follows: 42% Lebanese, 46% Syrian refugees, 6% Palestinians, and others). This was conducted in four governorates (Akkar, North Lebanon, Beqaa, and Baalbek-Hermel), six districts, and eighty towns, encompassing over one hundred thousand housing units, two hundred fifty-four (254) educational institutions, nine prisons, and ten nursing homes. The campaign involved four partner associations and two hundred fifty (250) field teams, with nine hundred forty-five (945) health and administrative workers. The minister continued, stating that the first phase of the vaccination campaign was executed within the timeline set by the ministry, completing in three weeks, which assures the distribution of vaccines to a large number of citizens and residents.
Currently, the ministry is awaiting the arrival of a new batch of vaccines in the third or fourth week of this month to commence the second phase of the vaccination campaign within three weeks. This upcoming phase will target nine hundred thousand (900,000) residents in two hundred ninety-five (295) Lebanese towns, in addition to some camps in regions such as Tripoli, Dinnieh, remaining villages of Akkar and Baalbek, and some villages along the Litani River. He clarified that "the method to be used will be similar to the first phase, relying on door-to-door surveys, which will also take three weeks to complete.”
Minister Al-Abyad reminded that "even if the cholera outbreak is under control, measures to mitigate the spread do not solely depend on the Ministry of Public Health, but should also secure other necessities, starting with safe water and qualified sewage systems." He confirmed that the ministry is "working in this area with other ministries to secure what is required to reach a stage of finishing the outbreak,” while stressing that “rapid cholera testing is available in all public hospitals and is free for those showing symptoms. The ministry will continue its vaccination campaign in public and private schools in targeted areas to complete it before the holiday break.”
The Minister also addressed the upcoming holiday season and the expectations regarding an influx of visitors for the first time without the preventive measures previously followed during the COVID-19 pandemic, affirming "the work to determine some measures to help ensure that the holiday period passes safely for everyone." He announced that "COVID tests will be available at a price of one hundred fifty thousand Lebanese pounds for those showing symptoms, encouraging them to isolate if confirmed positive.” He emphasized the need to secure booster doses of the COVID vaccine for individuals at higher risk and the elderly, mentioning that "three hundred thousand (300,000) doses of the new COVID vaccine (Bivalent) are expected as a donation from the French government in the third week of December.”
He noted that COVID cases are "decreasing globally," hoping that “no new strain of the virus will emerge, which will help in overcoming the pandemic." He concluded by reaffirming that "the ministry seeks, through epidemiological surveillance teams and public hospitals, to maintain maximum readiness to quickly contain any potential infectious outbreak."
