TEHRAN – Government spokesman Ali Rabiei announced on Friday that Iran will face a rising number of patients diagnosed with coronavirus in the next two weeks and urged citizens to fully observe the Health Ministry advices to contain the spread of the disease.

“In the next one or two weeks we face a condition which the cooperation of people with the recommendation of officials will be very essential and effective,” Rabiei said in a series of tweets. 

The announcement by the government spokesman came as the National Headquarters for Campaign against Corona held a meeting on Friday in which Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri was also present.

Rabiei said reports show coordination between different bodies and that the Health Ministry has control over the situation.

He also said there will be changes in working hours.

The spokesman said decisions were taken to limit entry into and exit from provinces in which coronavirus cases have been confirmed. 

It was also decided to disinfect “special places” and provinces inflicted by coronavirus, scientifically called Covid-19. 

Health Minister Saeed Namaki also said it was decided on Friday to close all schools across the country until Monday. 

School week in Iran begins from Saturday until Wednesday. 

He also urgently asked the citizen to seriously avoid unnecessary trips. The minister said if a passenger is diagnosed with coronavirus he will be quarantined for two weeks. 

“If a suspicious case is noticed in entry or exit of cities that person will surely be quarantined for 14 days.”

The Health Ministry has previously urged people to stay at home, restrict traffic, reduce interactions, avoid unnecessary travel, and cancel any nationwide gatherings.

It has also said observing “individual health tips are the only ways to control Covid-19".

Upon the advice of the Health Ministry, the Friday prayers in Tehran and 22 other provinces were also canceled to counter the spread of coronavirus. 

The Health Ministry also placed restrictions on access to the Hazrat Masumeh shrine in Qom, where the coronavirus in Iran first emerged, and the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad.

Until Friday, the Health Ministry confirmed 34 deaths and 388 cases of coronavirus in the country.

PA/PA