Italy, battling to hold back the spread of coronavirus is calling in reinforcements.

Retired doctors are answering a call to return to work. Young, inexperienced doctors are being recruited to shore up the legions of overworked health workers nationwide.

Last Saturday night, I watched in surprise and horror as the television broadcast images of hundreds of people storming Milan’s central train station, desperate to catch a train out of the city after rumors circulated of the coming of a quarantine over coronavirus concerns in Italy’s north. Hours later, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced a partial closure of the region, centered on Milan.

At about 2:30 am on Sunday, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte decreed a partial quarantine over a swathe of Italy’s north region. Just over 24 hours later, he extended the measure to the entire country of 60 million people. These decisions were the most aggressive countermeasures against coronavirus taken since the outbreak in January. Italy is suffering the second worst outbreak in the world, with more deaths than in any other country outside China.

When reports surfaced that several protesters had lost their eyesight after they were shot at close range with rubber bullets, Dr. Samer Kahil knew he had to help.

In a late-night appeal on social media, Dr. Kahil, the Head of the Lebanese-Swiss Center for Artificial Eyes, offered to perform surgeries for the victims who lost their eyesight –free of charge.

Lebanon on Monday said flights to and from coronavirus infested countries were reduced as part of the new measures taken by the government to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the country.

Clashes between protesters and security forces left more than 300 people wounded over the weekend, the heaviest toll since the start of the anti-government protests three months ago.

Clashes between security forces and protesters erupted late Tuesday into early Wednesday, a day after Lebanese protesters spilled back into the streets following a brief lull in the three-months-long movement.

Former Nissan Chief Carlos Ghosn, who skipped bail to avoid charges of financial misconduct and fled Japan for Lebanon, said he did so because he was being abused and treated unfairly by Japanese officials.

The U.S. airstrike that killed senior Iranian General Qassem Soleimani early Friday marked not only a major escalation of tensions between the United States and Iran, but may also destabilize Lebanon, which is already suffering from severe political and economic problems, analysts say.

Lebanese protesters took to the streets in Beirut and other cities across the country Thursday night to reject the appointment of Hassan Diab as prime minister.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Monday postponed the parliamentary consultations to select a new prime minister following a weekend marred with violent clashes between protesters and security forces in Beirut.