BEIRUT: Lebanon registered 1,000 new coronavirus cases Monday and 14 new deaths, as the caretaker health minister announced that most of the countrys public hospitals were equipped with PCR devices.

Only 10 of the new cases were among incoming travelers to Lebanon, bringing the total number of registered coronavirus cases since February to 127,903. The total number of deaths now stands at 1,018.

The relatively low number of cases recorded Monday came after a total of 5,205 PCR tests were administered in the last 24 hours. The positivity rate of the tests in the last two weeks stood at 15.3 percent.

Caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hasan received seven PCR devices from the World Health Organization Monday, to be installed in public hospitals.

According to Hasan 80 percent of governmental hospitals in Lebanon are now equipped with PCR devices.

Lebanon began relaxing lockdown measures Monday, with the curfew hours eased to 11 p.m. until 5 a.m., the odd/even car license plate rule lifted, and shops, schools and restaurants allowed to reopen.

As the full lockdown was lifted Monday, the Tourism Ministry issued a new set of guidelines for all restaurants and tourism-related establishments that serve more than 10 customers at a time which will now have to provide a floor plan certified by an architect that depicts how they will host customers at 50 percent capacity.

Relevant establishments are required to submit their floor plans to the ministry by Dec. 4. Tourism p, who will be tasked with monitoring and following up on the implementation of the circular, will shut down any establishment that does not abide by the guidelines.

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