As daily infections and deaths from Coronavirus are setting new records in Iran, the government has finally made the hard decision; Tehran and 150 other high-risk cities will go into a full lockdown.

As per the new measures, travel to and from 150 red-alert cities will be banned for two weeks and a night curfew on movements will keep streets empty from 9�p.m. to 4�a.m.

The initiative also requires the presence of one-third of government employees in the red zones. Non-essential travels to and from high-risk cities are banned.

The move will take effect on Saturday and will continue for two weeks.

The Health Ministry said the new rules will be strictly enforced and those who cross the limits will be fined.

The government says it will provide aid packages for the most vulnerable strata of the society for four months to limit the economic fallout of the two-week quarantine.

The new curbs came amid an unabated surge in fresh cases and fatalities that increased fourfold in less than two months.

Last week, the number of daily infections crossed the 13,000 mark and has been hovering around that figure.

The death toll is also inching closer to the 500 mark.

Health officials say the next two weeks are pivotal in the course of the nation�s fight against COVID-19.

They warn that if people and officials give up, the country will lose the game against the virus and the number of daily deaths would soar to the four-digit mark.


 

Source: Press TV