BEIRUT: Lebanon recorded 1,147 new coronavirus cases and three deaths in the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry said Sunday.

The new numbers add to a total of 562,527 cases and 7,909 deaths in Lebanon since the virus was first discovered in February 2020. Out of Sunday's cases, 47 were from travelers arriving into Lebanon.

A further 2,539 first-stage coronavirus vaccines were administered in the last 24 hours, adding to 1,251,401 since the roll out began five months ago. A total of 2,805 second dose jabs were also handed out, bringing the total of fully vaccinated individuals to 874,590 or 18.3 percent of the eligible population.

Lebanon is undergoing a new wave of the virus instigated by the discovery of the Delta variant at the start of July which has caused a dramatic surge in cases, with daily figures doubling in the space of a week. Virus safety measures remain relaxed as society has fully reopened and many have returned to carrying out normal activities.

But health experts are sounding the alarm over the rise in cases as Lebanon's hospitals are stretched financially and lack adequate resources following the severe economic crisis blighting the country, and as such will be quickly overwhelmed by a flood of infections.

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