27 May 2020 – Just as fast as rumours spread, WHO, UNICEF and the United Nations Development Programme have collaborated with the Ministry of Information to create a platform that collects and posts fake news, misinformation and rumours circulating in the country under the title "Sa7e7 el Ma3loumeh" (check your facts). Several short animated...

27 May 2020 – Health systems are being strained worldwide by the rapidly increasing demands generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. An analysis of past crises indicates that mortality from vaccine-preventable and treatable conditions increases dramatically when health systems are overwhelmed by an outbreak. In order to avoid a system collapse, countries are...

27 May 2020 – It is highly unlikely that people can get COVID-19 from food or food packaging; however, it is imperative for the food industry to reinforce personal hygiene measures and provide refresher training on food hygiene principles to eliminate or reduce the risk of food surfaces and food packaging materials becoming contaminated with the...

11 May 2020 – Evidence so far suggests that older persons and persons with chronic conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension, are more vulnerable to COVID-19 and particularly vulnerable to severe disease and mortality from the virus. COVID-19 data in Lebanon shows that around 22 out of 25 patients who died had an underlying chronic...

5 May 2020, Beirut – The Ambassador of the European Union in Lebanon, Ralph Tarraf, announced that the European Union’s is donating 15 million Euros to WHO to support the health system in Lebanon, with a main focus on access to essential medicines to those in need for the next 2 years. With this support, around 95 000 people from among the most...

WHO has issued guiding principles to minimize the risk of resurgence in COVID-19 cases when countries start lifting the lockdown measures. The Lebanese authorities with WHO and other health partners are implementing the following 6 key criteria to prevent the escalation of transmission and maintain a steady state of low-level or no transmission: 1. COVID‑19...

With so many means to spread information in the 21st century, a dangerous epidemic of misinformation has been circulating through different communication channels and in communities since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. With the sudden and deadly onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, each country has found itself struggling to contain the...

27 April 2020 – In a makeshift settlement in the Beqaa region of Lebanon, Syrian refugees live through the cold winters in tents or unfinished concrete buildings. Ghazi, a 32-year-old refugee, fled Syria with his family 5 years ago. He has no money for medicine if one of his 4 small children becomes sick. Fortunately, free primary health care...

Beirut, 22 April 2020 – As the Lebanese government battles the COVID-19 pandemic, a dangerous epidemic of misinformation has been circulating through different communication channels and in communities since the beginning of the outbreak preventing people to heed official health warnings. To counter the growing scourge of fake news, the Ministry...

In light of the current international coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and following the confirmation of cases in Lebanon, a health working group coordination meeting on preparedness and response was held on Tuesday 03 March, at WHO premises. The meeting revolved around discussions on the latest COVID-19 updates with focus on international and...