BEIRUT, Nov. 1 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Caretaker Interior Minister Mohammad Fahmi issued a statement on Sunday ordering complete lockdown in 115 villages and towns in the country along with a nationwide curfew due to the increase in COVID-19 cases, the National News Agency reported.
The curfew starts from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. local time every day.
The minister also prevented public and private gatherings on all Lebanese territories while ordering all pubs and night clubs to remain closed until further notice.
Meanwhile, Caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hassan said on Sunday that the partial closure in the country proved to be inefficient, urging Lebanese authorities to shut down the whole country to limit the spread of the virus.
Hassan noted that Lebanon has been witnessing death cases among young people infected with COVID-19 due to negligence by citizens or lack of awareness among families.
"We are about to witness an imminent disaster if we do not consider taking tougher measures," Hassan said.
Lebanon has been fighting against COVID-19 since Feb. 21. The virus has killed 643 people in the country so far while the total number of infections stands at 82,617. Enditem
