Iran’s Vice President contracts coronavirus
Iranian Vice President for Women and Family Affairs Masoumeh Ebtekar has tested positive for coronavirus.
Ebtekar is the first member of President Hassan Rouahni’s cabinet to be infected with the novel coronavirus.
Earlier today, the chairman of the Iranian parliament’s national security and foreign affairs committee Mojtaba Zolnour announced in a video that he had also been infected with the disease.
Two other Iranian officials – Member of Parliament Mahmoud Sadeghi and Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi – have also previously confirmed that they have been infected with the disease.
This was disclosed in a state-run media report.
The country’s health ministry announced on Thursday that the country’s death toll from the outbreak was higher than any country except China, where the epidemic began.
The outbreak has prompted Iranian authorities to cancel Friday prayers in Tehran.
Health ministry spokesperson, Kianush Jahanpur, said that, “There were also plans to impose restrictions at some holy Muslim sites but the plan needs the approval of the president before being carried out.”
Mr Jahanpur, speaking to state TV, urged Iranians to avoid “unnecessary trips inside the country”.
State news agency IRNA said Chinese citizens had been banned from entering the country.
Similar restrictions have been implemented by dozens of other nations including the US, Russia, South Korea and Australia in a bid to stem the spread of coronavirus.
