Iran Commander: Biological Defense Base Set Up in Army to Fight against Coronavirus

Iranian Army’s Deputy Commander for Coordination Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari declared on Saturday establishment of a biological defense base in the Army to fight against coronavirus.

“A biological defense base has been set up at the Army and they continuously monitor the process of controlling and cleaning of the environment (to prevent coronavirus epidemic in the Army),” Rear Admiral Sayyari said after visiting one of the Army Ground Force’s training centers in Tehran today.

He also added that the Army has allocated three of its hospitals in Tehran to admit patients with suspected cases of coronavirus infection.

Rear Admiral Sayyari noted that an Army hospital in the Northern city of Rasht has also been dedicated to the campaign against coronavirus.

The Iranian health ministry announced on Saturday that the total number of confirmed coronavirus-infected patients in the country has hit 593, with 205 new diagnoses since Friday noon, adding that the death toll has risen to 43.

According to the latest reports, coronavirus has caused 2,924 deaths, while 85,212 people have been diagnosed with the illness across the globe.

The coronavirus is spreading in the Middle East, Europe and other parts of the world, as Brazil confirmed its first case in Latin America, while parts of China begin to lower their emergency response level as the number of new cases reported there continues to slow.

The Iranian health ministry had said on Tuesday that over 700,000 sanitation packs, including equipment to prevent coronavirus-infection have been transferred to Qom province, the first place where the COVID 19-infection was diagnosed, and are being distributed among people.

As a preventive measure, Iranian authorities have ordered closure of educational and cultural institutions across the country as of Monday.

Tehran’s municipality announced that all the city’s public places, including the metro trains and buses, are being disinfected at the end of the line every hour as part of attempts to contain the spread of the virus.

Head of Food and Drug Administration Mohammad Reza Shanehsaz also said that pharmacies will no longer be allowed to sell protective masks and that masks will be distributed among the population via government-run centers free of charge, with the priority given to virus-hit provinces.

The World Health Organization (WHO) stressed Iran’s high capabilities to prevent an epidemic of novel coronavirus infection.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry hosted a meeting on Wednesday to brief a WHO representative and the foreign ambassadors residing in Tehran on the latest preventive and therapeutic measures taken by the country to contain COVID-19, as the novel coronavirus is called.

In comments at the meeting, the WHO representative said Iran has the necessary fundamental capabilities to tackle the epidemic, and that Tehran’s performance has been as “successful and exemplary” in the region and the world.

The Iranian Health Ministry officials, who were also present at the meeting, reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to the international health regulations and standards.

Iran enjoys all the technical and specialized capabilities needed to battle the coronavirus, they stressed.