TEHRAN,Iran, April 13
Trend:
Iran continues to implement its smart social distancing plan step by step, as businesses resume work following health precautions, said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Trend reports citing IRNA.
He said the smart social distancing plan has been developed upon the Iranian lifestyle and according to the World Health Organization's instructions.
"The plan was the result of the National Headquarters to Fight Coronavirus to control the disease and it continues to be implemented," he said.
He urged the citizens to avoid unnecessary travels, public gatherings.
"The Health Ministry and Vice Presidency for Science and Technology are tasked to boost and support knowledge-based companies and medical science universities to produce and test possible vaccine against the coronavirus," he said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019.
Iran is one of the countries heavily affected by the rapidly-spreading coronavirus.
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.