The Information Office of Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Ghassan Hasbani issued the following statement:

After many cases of viral hepatitis A were detected due to water pollution in Ain Al Zahab, Dinbou located in Akkar district, a team from the Ministry of Public Health took samples of water from several sources and sent them to the laboratory for testing. The water samples failed to meet health requirements.

Therefore, Minister Hasbani addressed a letter to the Ministry of energy and water to follow up on the issue and another letter to the governor of Akkar to call on all the concerned authorities to warn the citizens against the use of the water without sterilizing it.

The Ministry of Public Health calls on all the citizens not to drink or use the said water for cooking or washing vegetables, as it urges them to regularly sterilize water tanks until the concerned authorities address the issue and provide safe drinking water that meet the Lebanese health requirements.