Iran imposes new curbs as coronavirus toll rises

July 4 (Reuters) – Iranians who do not have on masks will be denied state services and workplaces that fail to comply with health and fitness protocols will be shut for a week, President Hassan Rouhani explained on Saturday as he launched new actions to test to suppress the coronavirus.

Iran has been battling the distribute of the coronavirus, with the total quantity of conditions hitting 237,878 on Saturday and a additional 148 deaths bringing the country’s toll to 11,408, Wellness Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari claimed on state television.

Wearing masks results in being mandatory from Sunday in included public places, Rouhani claimed on point out television immediately after harder curbs had been imposed in metropolitan areas and towns in 5 provinces where by the outbreak is soaring soon after an easing of lockdowns from mid-April.

“Govt staff should really not serve people today who do not put on masks and workers who do not have on them should be regarded as absentees and despatched home,” said Rouhani.

And a govt website published photos of Rouhani, who is hardly ever witnessed putting on a mask, with a deal with covering.

Those people infected have a “spiritual responsibility” to notify others, Rouhani reported, adding: “Holding your infection a secret violates the rights of other folks”.

The federal government has been attempting to encourage a reluctant community to take masks and a week-lengthy marketing campaign by condition television has been warning viewers that “Corona is not a joke”.

Just one Television set presenter at the conclude of every single newscast puts on her mask and claims: “There is no 1 in my rapid 3 metres, but I don a mask outside the studio. You, far too, dress in a person.”

State media noted on Saturday that 19 Iranian soccer players from the nationwide Esteghlal and Foolad Khuzestan clubs experienced analyzed beneficial for the coronavirus.

Iran’s armed forces has diminished their two-month basic overcome teaching by a thirty day period till even more observe simply because of the greater distribute of the coronavirus. (Editing by Alexander Smith)