Iran allowed small businesses in the capital and nearby towns to reopen Saturday after weeks of closure aimed at containing the worst coronavirus outbreak in the Middle East.
Gyms, restaurants, shopping malls and Tehran's grand bazaar will remain closed. Shrines and mosques are also shuttered, and a ban on public gatherings remains in place. Government offices also reopened and schools and universities are still closed.
Authorities allowed businesses outside the capital to reopen a week ago.
There was a "significant" rise in the volume of traffic on the capital's streets on Saturday morning as many returned to work, Tehran's traffic police said.
The government held off on imposing widespread restrictions. Authorities have said they had to consider the economic consequences of quarantine measures, as the country struggles under severe sanctions imposed by US President Donald Trump after he withdrew Washington from Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers.
Downward trend
Iran on Saturday announced 73 new deaths from the coronavirus, raising the official toll to 5,031.
It was the seventh day that the number of deaths in the previous 24 hours had fallen. It was also the fifth straight day that the number of new deaths had stayed in double figures.
"This (73) is a very low number compared to recent days," Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour told a news conference, hoping the downward trend would continue.
Jahanpour said the "small victory" against the coronavirus had been won despite "enmities" towards Iran.
He said that US sanctions had prevented Iran from buying virus testing kits from South Korea.
"This is despite all their false claims that trade in medicines is not covered by the sanctions," he said.
"The world will judge such actions."
Jahanpour added that 1,374 new infections had been confirmed in the previous 24 hours, taking the total to 80,860.
Of those admitted to hospital, 55,987 have recovered and been discharged, while 3,513 remain in critical condition.
The virus causes mild to moderate flu-like symptoms in most patients, who recover within a few weeks. But it is highly contagious and can cause severe illness or death, particularly in older patients or those with underlying health problems.
Social distancing has worked
President Hassan Rouhani said the drop in the pace of coronavirus infection in the country is due to citizens’ abidance by the social distancing plan and businesses’ compliance with health protocols.
Rouhani thanked people for staying at home to help stem the spread of the virus.
“A considerable number of people have not only observed health directives, but also have abided by the ‘stay-at-home’ motto very well and have not left home except for necessary affairs,” the president said at a meeting with heads of expert committees of the National Coronavirus Headquarters.
Rouhani further called on the Health Ministry to specify conditions for medium-risk businesses to resume work.
The president also asked local media as well as the state radio and TV to keep urging people to observe health protocols, stay at home and avoid nonessential travel.
“The Health Ministry should work closely with relevant institutions to offer training to people and convince them of the necessity of abiding by the regulations and directives communicated to businesses which have resumed work,” he said.
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