COVID-19 Information Landscape in Lebanon

In Lebanon, COVID-19 was coupled with exacerbated political and economic crises. On August 4, 2020 at approximately 18h00, a warehouse at the Beirut Port containing 2,750 tons of improperly stored ammonium nitrate exploded. After an initial explosion, a subsequent blast caused widespread damage, with reports of destruction more than 20 kilometers from the port area. As of August 11, more than 220 people were reported dead, approximately 6,000 injured, and over 100 were still missing. The explosion led to catastrophic destruction of residential houses, businesses, and infrastructure. Since the Blast, the new COVID-19 has skyrocketed with a 220% increase in number, with an average of 600-700 cases per day during the last weeks of September 2020.