TEHRAN,Iran,April 20
Trend:
Law Enforcement Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran (NAJA) has helped with implementation of the social distancing plan in the country, said Iran's Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, Trend reports citing IRNA.
"The Law Enforcement Force has come to support the government and the Health Ministry in fighting the coronavirus," said Fazli.
"Some of the actions include arresting hoarders, identifying warehouses that hoarded necessary goods, confronting individuals that created rumors online," he added.
"NAJA has been active in preventing big gatherings of people as well," Fazli said.
"Limiting transportation was one of the decisions made by the National Headquarters to Fight Coronavirus and the law enforcement had to control inner city transportation in three shifts that has been implemented well," he added.
"Restricting high risk occupations and controlling them was another measure done by NAJA," 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. According to recent reports from the Iranian officials, over 83,500 people have been infected, 5,209 people have already died. Meanwhile, over 59,200 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.