BEIRUT: Lebanon confirmed a record 1,006 new coronavirus cases and 11 deaths Sunday, as caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hasan called for a total lockdown to stem the worrying spread of the virus.

Of the new cases, 1,003 were detected among the local population and three among travelers from abroad, raising the total number of recorded cases to 29,303.

There have been a total of 297 deaths in the country due to coronavirus complications since the illness was first detected on Feb. 21.

A new wave of coronavirus infections followed the Aug. 4 port blast and the number of new cases registered each day remains elevated, rarely falling below 400 cases since mid-August, and crossing the 1,000 mark for the first time Sunday.

Sunday also marked the third consecutive record-breaking day of registered coronavirus cases for Lebanon, as 750 cases were confirmed on Friday and 779 Saturday.

A record number of 18 deaths were also recorded Friday, the highest seen over 24 hours since the illness was first detected on Feb. 21. Among the deceased was an 18-year-old man.

Earlier Sunday, caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hasan called for a total lockdown of the country as the number of daily coronavirus infections hit record highs on both Friday and Saturday.

I call for ... all calculations and economic caveats to be dropped, and for there to be a general closure for a period of two weeks to stop the spread, Hasan told local newspaper Addiyar in comments published Saturday night.

Hasan told Addiyar that the rise in the number of cases was due to a relaxation of coronavirus containment measures, recklessness and a lack of a feeling of responsibility at the individual and societal level toward fighting the virus. He also said that not all state and private institutions had put in place the necessary preventive measures.

A rise in the number of coronavirus infections followed the reopening of the airport at the start of July, but a much larger surge came after the Aug. 4 port explosion.

Caretaker Interior Minister Mohammad Fahmi then released a statement in response to Hasans call, saying that the Lebanese society is not a toy between hands to be subjected to a lockdown every other week.

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