BEIRUT: Lebanon’s ministers and MPs Monday announced they would donate their salaries for the month of March to help combat coronavirus.

“I announce that I will donate my salary for the month of March to the National Fund to Combat Coronavirus in support of governmental hospitals in the face of the coronavirus epidemic” Information Minister Manal Abdel-Samad tweeted.

Minister for the Displaced Ghada Shreim also announced she would donate her March salary to the fund.

“I invite every able Lebanese, resident and expatriate to help because with our solidarity we succeed,” Shreim wrote on her Twitter.

Former MP Amal Abou Zeid announced he would donate L.L.50 million to Jezzine Hospital, “to purchase the necessary and essential equipment to enable the hospital to care for any possible coronavirus infections … and to provide necessary protection for the medical and nursing staff in the hospital.”

The announcements come after Health Minister Hamad Hasan announced Sunday night the launch of the fund and his salary donation to it.

“After my inspection of the bitter reality of government hospitals that are preparing to face the pandemic, we launched the National Fund to Combat Coronavirus,” Hasan tweeted.

Declaring that the current situation arising from the coronavirus has put the country in a “health emergency,” the government Sunday proclaimed a state of general mobilization that called for the closure of the airport and seaports. The epidemic so far infected 99 people and killed three in Lebanon.

Lebanon has been boosting precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, including halting flights from several countries, closing all restaurants, nightclubs and bars and tightening measures along the border with neighboring Syria. Many malls have shut down in response to the virus’ outbreak, and many public and private organizations have suspended their office activities.

The Daily Star