TEHRAN, Iran, March. 30
Trend:
Deputy Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade of Iran Mahdi Sadeghi Niyaraki urged the provincial officials not to close down any local manufacturers that are helping to fight the coronavirus spread, Trend reports via Fars News Agency.
Niyaraki said that the items needed to deal with the coronavirus have been determined and all production units have been provided with the maximum requirements for working around the clock.
He also pointed out that a meeting was held to discuss the problems of supplying raw materials (ethanol) for disinfection of manufacturing facilities.
“The meeting approved the setting of a price of $3.3 per liter of ethanol,” he added.
Niyaraki said that the Ministry temporarily banned the export of raw materials, intermediates and end products related to the coronavirus such as masks, disinfectants, detergents, hospital gowns, surgical gloves, alcohol, paper towels and sodium chlorate.
Iran is one of the countries heavily affected by the rapidly-spreading coronavirus. According to recent reports from the Iranian officials, over 41,400 people have been infected, 2,757 people have already died. Meanwhile, over 13,900 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.
The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared COVID-19 a pandemic.