Iranians should be cautious but not afraid of the coronavirus: Rouhani

Date:

Tehran (Reuters) – Iranians should be cautious but not afraid of the coronavirus, President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday as the country eases restrictions in an attempt to return to normal life.

Iran is one of the Middle Eastern countries hardest hit by the outbreak of the new coronavirus.

“Excessive fear, excessive anxiety, excessive worrying is worse than this corona itself and this virus and can really break up people’s lives and take away people’s comfort,” Rouhani said, according to the official presidency website.

“But at the same time we shouldn’t be careless, meaning there must not be excessive anxiety and worrying and there must be necessary caution.”

Iranians have returned to shops, bazaars and parks over the past week as the country eases coronavirus restrictions, with the daily increase in the death toll below 100 since April 14.

The death toll in Iran from the coronavirus pandemic rose by 71 in the past 24 hours to 5,877, health ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur said on state TV on Tuesday.

The total number of diagnosed cases of the new coronavirus in Iran has reached 92,584, he said.

Seeking a balance between protecting public health and shielding an economy already battered by sanctions, the government has refrained from imposing the kind of wholesale lockdowns on cities seen in many other countries.

Health officials have warned that the easing of restrictions could lead to a new wave of infections and state TV in recent days has featured interviews where people on the street are questioned why they are not using masks and gloves.

Share post:

Related

Latest

For Kuwait’s new emir, Saudi ties are seen as key

Kuwait (Reuters) - Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah was named...

Pope Francis deplores Israeli killings of civilians at Gaza church

Vatican City (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Sunday again...

Palestinians must find new path from Israeli rule after war, top official says

Ramallah (Reuters) - Immediately after Israel's war in Gaza...

Israel says it struck Hezbollah sites after attacks from Lebanon

Jerusalem/Beirut (Reuters) - Israel said on Sunday it had...