A deadly cholera outbreak is spreading "rapidly" across Lebanon, exacerbated by a prolonged economic crisis and crumbling infrastructure, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned Monday.

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil will announce his presidential nomination on Tuesday and will declare “rebellion” against caretaker PM Najib Mikati and the boycott of Speaker Nabih Berri’s dialogue, senior FPM official Naji Hayek said overnight.

Sources following up on Bassil’s political movements meanwhile told Nidaa al-Watan newspaper that he intends to take steps to “pressure” and “embarrass” Hezbollah by telling it, “Either I am your presidential candidate or no one will be.”

The five ministers who intend to boycott the caretaker cabinet “can ask to be relieved of their duties,” caretaker PM Najib Mikati has said, amid controversy over the legitimacy of his cabinet in the event of presidential vacuum.

“We would either replace them or acting ministers can take charge of their ministries,” Mikati added, in remarks to al-Jadeed TV, while ruling out that the five ministers would choose to boycott cabinet.

The country is “headed for disaster amid presidential and governmental vacuum” and “there is still a chance to form a government in the final moments” of President Michel Aoun’s term, Free Patriotic Movement sources told al-Akhbar newspaper in remarks published Monday.

Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea has re-accused Hezbollah and its allies of obstructing the election of a new president.

Geagea said that if the opposition MPs were unified, they could have elected a new president. "The other camp can obstruct a session or two but eventually it cannot continue to obstruct the sessions," Geagea said, adding that the LF had named MP Michel Mouawad because the majority of the opposition MPs wanted him, although he had run against the LF in the parliamentary elections.

The dialogue between Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil and Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi regarding the presidential election file is in an advanced stage, a media report said on Monday.

Bassil is “giving the ultimate priority to reaching an understanding with the patriarch before any other political party and the two sides might be on the verge of discussing names,” al-Joumhouria newspaper reported.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called Monday for Parliament to convene on Thursday to discuss a letter sent to parliament by outgoing President Michel Aoun after he signed a decree "accepting the resignation" of the caretaker cabinet.

"The government is considered resigned according to Article 69 of the constitution," Berri told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, in remarks published Monday.

All indications suggest that the presidential vacuum “will not be lengthy” amid “strenuous French-Saudi efforts to reach a candidate on which most parliamentary blocs would agree,” opposition sources said.

“The main forces also want a presidential election that would restore regularity in the country to accompany the phase of demarcation and gas extraction,” the sources told al-Joumhouria newspaper in remarks published Monday.

Before bowing out, President Michel Aoun delivered a final broadside against caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

"This morning, I sent a letter to parliament and signed a decree that considers the government resigned," he told supporters before leaving the palace in the hills above Beirut.

Caretaker PM and PM-designate Najib Mikati had said that the coming period will be focused on "acting in caretaker capacity to facilitate the state's matters and citizens' affairs," stressing that the best solution would be to "quickly elect a new president."