The governor of Bekaa, Judge Kamal Abou Jaoude, ordered on Tuesday the shutdown of Bekaa’s industrial authority headquartered in the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Zahle after one of the employees tested positive for the coronavirus, the National News Agency reported.

The news agency said operations will be suspended at the department starting from Tuesday, March 30, until the morning of Tuesday, April 6.

Judge Abou Jaoude instructed Lara Barrak, head of the health authority in Bekaa, to “follow up on conducting PCR tests for all employees of Bekaa’s industrial authority, in accordance with the recommendations of the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Public Health.”

“The appropriate measures will be taken later on in light of the tests’ results,” Abou Jaoude said.

Lebanon registered 40 new coronavirus-related deaths and 1,277 more infections within the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry said on Monday, as the country expanded its vaccination drive to include a new age group.

The cases were detected among 8,213 tests, with only 17 cases found among travelers arriving at the Beirut International Airport. The average positivity rate throughout the last two weeks stood at 17.3%.

The overall tally of COVID-19 infections since the virus was first detected in the country on Feb. 21, 2020, rose to 462,339, according to figures released by the Health Ministry. The total number of fatalities now stands at 6,136.

Lebanon began on Monday its campaign to specifically provide the 55-65 age group with vaccines – mainly the AstraZeneca – in several medical centers across the country.