Iranian President Calls for Global Unity against Coronavirus

TEHRAN (defapress)- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in a phone conversation with Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani underlined the necessity for global cooperation to defeat the coronavirus epidemic.

News ID: 80362

Date: 29 February 2020 - 17:39

“Today, coronavirus has turned into a global problem and all world nations and governments should stand beside each other and solve this problem as soon as possible,” President Rouhani said during the conversation on Saturday.

“Fortunately, the Iranian health, treatment and medical training ministry has devised special plans to manage and control the virus epidemic,” he added.

Rouhani said that Iran also has special hygiene protocols for trade exchanges and exports of goods as well as the traffic of passengers between the two countries so that flights would resume as usual.

The Qatari Emir, for his part, wished health for the Iranian people, and voiced solidarity with the country’s nation and government.

“We are certain that due to its physicians and health sector managers’ capabilities and expertise, the Islamic Republic of Iran is able to control and live through these conditions,” he added.

The Iranian health ministry announced on Saturday that the total number of confirmed coronavirus-infected patients in the country has hit 593, with 205 new diagnoses since Friday noon, adding that the death toll has risen to 43.

According to the latest reports, coronavirus has caused 2,924 deaths, while 85,212 people have been diagnosed with the illness across the globe.

The coronavirus is spreading in the Middle East, Europe and other parts of the world, as Brazil confirmed its first case in Latin America, while parts of China begin to lower their emergency response level as the number of new cases reported there continues to slow.

The Iranian health ministry had said on Tuesday that over 700,000 sanitation packs, including equipment to prevent coronavirus-infection have been transferred to Qom province, the first place where the COVID 19-infection was diagnosed, and are being distributed among people.

As a preventive measure, Iranian authorities have ordered closure of educational and cultural institutions across the country as of Monday.

Tehran’s municipality announced that all the city’s public places, including the metro trains and buses, are being disinfected at the end of the line every hour as part of attempts to contain the spread of the virus.

Head of Food and Drug Administration Mohammad Reza Shanehsaz also said that pharmacies will no longer be allowed to sell protective masks and that masks will be distributed among the population via government-run centers free of charge, with the priority given to virus-hit provinces.

The World Health Organization (WHO) stressed Iran’s high capabilities to prevent an epidemic of novel coronavirus infection.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry hosted a meeting on Wednesday to brief a WHO representative and the foreign ambassadors residing in Tehran on the latest preventive and therapeutic measures taken by the country to contain COVID-19, as the novel coronavirus is called.

In comments at the meeting, the WHO representative said Iran has the necessary fundamental capabilities to tackle the epidemic, and that Tehran’s performance has been as “successful and exemplary” in the region and the world.

The Iranian Health Ministry officials, who were also present at the meeting, reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to the international health regulations and standards.

Iran enjoys all the technical and specialized capabilities needed to battle the coronavirus, they stressed.

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