Caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hassan on Friday deemed the total lockdown decision as a bold decision that needs a serious treatment, stressing that the spread of coronavirus is happening in the big cities not in the small villages.

“We have circulated to the hospitals the need to raise their readiness and the need to keep pace with the process of combating the virus epidemic, which requires serious and constructive engagement from the governance of the Bank of Lebanon,” Hassan said following meeting with President Michel Aoun in Baabda.

“We have discussed with the president the suggestions that could be included to prevent a catastrophic situation in the country,” he added.

Hassan stressed the importance of respecting the security services status, saying that it essential to see the possibility of the success of the closure decision before taking it.

"The issue of a total lockdown is under discussion and we hope that the field data will be different in order to change the closure decision,” he said.