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AMMAN, JORDAN – Lebanon is on alert for a possible second wave of coronavirus cases, following an alarming increase in local infections over the weekend. But some Lebanese say they fear starvation more than COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, as the financial and economic crisis in the small Mediterranean country worsens.
Authorities in Lebanon say they had to strengthen measures against violators and extend the nightly curfew across the country for two hours amid a surge in coronavirus cases, some involving people returning from abroad.
Health Minister Hamad Hassan said a case involved a Lebanese returnee who should have been isolated for 14 days, but “caused the transmission of the infection to his family and to those around him.” Authorities warn that Lebanon could be locked up for 48 hours “to conduct a field study in areas where cases were found.” The latest reports put the number of COVID-19 infections at 859, with 26 deaths.
The coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated economic problems in Lebanon, which had plunged deep into the financial crisis months earlier. The Lebanese have seen the value of their savings fall with the currency, the pound, losing more than half its value. Food prices have skyrocketed.
According to the government, almost 50 percent of Lebanese live below the poverty line and unemployment is 35 percent. Many employees have seen their wages cut in half.
Professor Habib Malik of the American University of Lebanon tells VOA that hunger is taking anti-government protesters to the streets after a series of mass protests.
“People are in such a terrible situation here. Actually, they are putting caution to the wind when it comes to the virus, risking going out and protesting that the situation is very bad, “said Malik.” There is hunger, poverty, bankruptcy. People will say, “Okay, if we are going to die, we could try to fight before we die rather than stay home to avoid the virus and then starve.” This is a very bleak choice. It’s scary. “
The government and the commercial banking sector are currently fighting for a plan to rescue the crisis economy, which is $ 91 billion in debt. The plan would include negotiations with the International Monetary Fund. Malik says that potential IMF aid will likely bring more misery to ordinary Lebanese who blame the entrenched political elite for years of corruption and mismanagement and who they hold responsible for the current mess.
“This plan does not address some of the most basic problems: corruption, repatriation of stolen funds,” said Malik. “The repatriation of stolen funds is a very slow and very difficult process that would require a sustained legal search for the culprits and international cooperation. The banks made huge profits as a result of the high interest they were giving people and benefited from it. They were mining tens of billions of dollars from Lebanon and we don’t know where they are. “
Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab said the government would request more than $ 10 billion from the IMF in the first phase of the loan plan. The IMF is expected to say it wants to see prior action on the reform before the country requests financial assistance.
The United Nations in Lebanon launched an emergency appeal requesting $ 350 million to help people who are “most at risk due to the COVID-19 outbreak and its immediate socio-economic impact.”
While Malik and others welcome the call, analysts believe it is a drop in the bucket and there is always the question of how the money will be used.
