TEHRAN – Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, the deputy Army chief for coordination affairs, has announced that the Army designated three of its well-equipped hospitals for the treatment of coronavirus patients. 

“The armed forces, including the Islamic Republic of Iran's Army, are at the forefront… in the battle against the coronavirus,” Sayyari was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency.

In relevant remarks, Brigadier General Kiomars Heidari, the Army ground force chief, announced on Sunday that the Army has produced unique equipment for diagnosing the virus in the shortest time possible. 

He said, “Our experts working for the army’s self-sufficiency department have planned and built several unique equipment which should go under test by the Health Ministry. If everything goes well the equipment will be a great achievement in rapid diagnosis of the novel coronavirus.”

Heidari further said, “One of the army’s capabilities, which was unveiled in the ceremony today, was turning anti-bacterial liquids into fog to spray it over vast regions.”

“We enjoy anti-pollution systems which are currently utilized by our forces across the country,” the commander said, adding, “According to the pre-planned program, the Army’s Ground Force is in charge of sanitizing hospitals and medical centers in Tehran.”

The virus first emerged in China in December last year and is now spreading in Europe and across the Middle East, sparking fears of a global pandemic. The virus is spreading rapidly in the region, with cases recorded in many countries.

The Iranian authorities have ordered the closure of schools, universities and cultural events in a bid to contain the outbreak. This is while free masks are being distributed among the people, with priority given to cities that have reported coronavirus cases.

According to the Health Ministry’s latest official data, totally 978 Iranian nationals have been infected by the virus, out of which 54 patients have lost their lives.

According to the Health Ministry, the health condition of a sum of 175 infected patients have improved.

The virus has affected 27 out of 30 provinces in Iran. 

MJ/PA