Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri said Thursday that fighting the COVID-19 coronavirus requires the utmost seriousness, noting that "the mistakes that have occurred are now behind us."

"What is in front of us is only the mobilization of all efforts within the State, health institutions and civil society to fight the epidemic," he tweeted, according to an English-language statement distributed by his office.

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat on Thursday said Lebanon has “the right to ask for help from the International Monetary Fund,” citing Iran’s request for aid from the IMF on Thursday in the face of its coronavirus outbreak.

“Amid the enormous explosion of this pandemic, only human solidarity remains essential and down with the narrow political calculations,” Jumblat tweeted.

Health Minister Hamad Hasan announced Thursday that the country’s anti-coronavirus committee had declared Wednesday what resembles a "civil health emergency," stressing that “the Lebanese people enjoy awareness” regarding the COVID-19 coronavirus.

Responding to a reporter’s question, Hasan said Lebanon cannot declare an official state of emergency seeing as that would harm daily income workers.

The Lebanese government on Thursday decided to “double the speed and quotas of internet services” in order to encourage citizens to stay home amid a local and global coronavirus outbreak.

During a cabinet session held in Baabda, the government also decided to utilize a $39 million loan from the World Bank to equip state-run hospitals in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

LibanPost has resumed the handling of the “Lebanese Biometric Passport” renewal as well as that of the “Temporary Residence for Syrian Nationals” and has launched the possibility to pay for the “Beirut Municipality Fee” at any of its 100+ offices across the country.

In a statement, the company said the new services aim to prove anew “its commitment to serve all residents and facilitate their daily lives.”

Standard & Poor's Global Ratings downgraded Lebanon's sovereign debt in foreign currency to a "selective default" from (CC / C), warning that talks on debt restructuring may be complicated and prolonged.

Lebanon on Thursday recorded its third coronavirus death one day after the country received a flight from Iran despite the Cabinet announcement that flights from countries hit hardest by the novel virus were suspended.

Lebanon has recorded 66 cases of COVID-19 according to the health ministry.

President Michel Aoun chaired a Cabinet meeting in the presence of PM Hassan Diab and the ministers at Baabda Palace to discuss eight items on the agenda, the National News Agency reported on Thursday.

President Michel Aoun received UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis at Baabda Palace, the National News Agency reported on Thursday.

NNA said the two men’s meeting came ahead of the report that Kubis would submit to the UN Secretary-General in the coming days on Lebanon’s action to address its economic crisis.

Lebanon’s National Social Security Fund set the cost of testing for coronavirus at 150,000 Lebanese pounds, a move criticized by many including MP Qassem Hashem who said it should be free for all.