BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 19
By Elnur Baghishov - Trend
Around 580 km of highways are planned to be commissioned in Iran in the current Iranian year (starting from March 20, 2020), said Mohammad Eslami, Minister of Road and Urban Development, Trend reports citing IRIB.
According to Eslami, 60 km of highways were put into operation last Iranian year (from March 21, 2019 to March 20, 2020). This year it is planned to increase it tenfold.
Eslami added at present, there are 2,440 kilometers of highways in Iran. An increase of about 600 km of highway means 25 percent increase.
The minister said that in addition, 847 kilometers of highways and 2,000 kilometers of rural roads will be built.
According to minister, over the past seven years, 66 hospitals have been built in Iran. At the time of the coronavirus spread , 10-13 hospitals were handed over to the Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Education of Iran. Other 16 hospitals are expected to be commissioned by the end of the current government office.
Iran is one of the countries heavily affected by the rapidly-spreading coronavirus. According to recent reports from the Iranian officials, over 82,200 people have been infected, 5,118 people have already died. Meanwhile, over 57,000 have reportedly recovered from the disease.
The country continues to apply strict measures to contain the further spread. Reportedly, the disease was brought to Iran by a businessman from Iran's Qom city, who went on a business trip to China, despite official warnings. The man died later from the disease.
The Islamic Republic only announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19.