Coronavirus: Iran maintains drastic measures to stem the epidemic

Text by: RFI Follow

According to the latest official report, 63 new people have died from the coronavirus bringing the death toll to 354 in Iran. A total of 9,000 people are infected in the country, but there is a slowdown in the pace of the epidemic.

Publicity

With our correspondent in Tehran, Siavosh Ghazi

Increasingly drastic measures are announced by the Iranian authorities to control the epidemic in the country. For the third consecutive week, Friday prayers were canceled across the country, as were all collective prayers in mosques. Likewise, all museums, cinemas, theaters and sports centers are closed.

Authorities are increasing requests to people to avoid going out of the house and traveling across the country, especially in the run up to New Years' holidays which start on March 20. Each year, tens of millions of Iranians hit the road for New Year's holidays.

The government has banned hotels from receiving travelers and television broadcasts throughout the day to educate people on how to protect themselves.

Meanwhile, nearly 60 people have died across the country from drinking adulterated alcohol. On social networks, information had circulated to affirm that alcohol protected people against the coronavirus. A dozen people were arrested for selling adulterated alcohol.

Iran "is doing its best " but lacks equipment, the World Health Organization said at a press conference in Geneva on Wednesday March 11. WHO has declared the Covid-19 epidemic a " pandemic ".

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• Iran
• Coronavirus
• Health and Medicine

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