The death toll following the blast in Beirut port last week has reach 179 and more than 5,000 have been injured, announced the Lebanese Health Minister, Hamad Hassan, on Friday.

"Four hospital institutions have become out of service after the explosion,” he said after a tour of hospitals in Beirut.

The explosion overwhelmed the medical sector and resulted in a lot of people needing intensive care along with coronavirus patients needing treatment, he added.