TEHRAN, Iran, Feb.28
Trend:
An Iranian MP announced that the coronavirus test results of four MPs were positive and that figure could rise as the results of the remaining MPs' tests are still unclear.
“We are going to defeat the coronavirus", Mohammad Ali Vakili, an Iranian Member of Parliament wrote on his Twitter account, Trend reports.
“So far, the results of coronavirus test of four MPs have been announced as positive,” he noted.
"We should wait for the results of the tests of the remaining MPs,” he said adding that if the number grows, the decision will be made about further parliament meetings.
Iran now appears to have the highest number of government officials infected by the coronavirus, which was first officially reported in the holy Iranian city of Qom on Feb. 19.
The disease is believed to have spread to the country from China, which has maintained close economic relations with the Tehran government despite American sanctions.
Authorities including President Hassan Rouhani said on Feb.26 that Iran had no plans to quarantine any cities or districts, despite the sharp rise in numbers in a short time.
The government extended the closure of universities and cinemas and a temporary ban on cultural, sports events and conferences for another week.
Mike Ryan, head of the World Health Organization’s emergencies program, said in Geneva that “the most likely factor is obviously this disease came unseen and undetected into Iran; the extent of infection may be broader than we think”.
Ryan said it appeared that, so far, more severe cases had been detected, but that more milder cases would be detected in future: “I don’t suspect it has anything to do with clinical care, more to do with surveillance.”
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said “some 20,000 coronavirus test kits and some other material” would be delivered to the country from China by Iran’s Mahan Air flight on Friday Feb. 28.