Iranian Foreign Ministry Urges Citizens to Avoid Traveling to S. Korea
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Iranian Foreign Ministry called on the nationals to avoid traveling to South Korea due to the outbreak of the new coronavirus known as COVID-19 as the East Asian country has reported more than 800 new coronavirus cases, bringing total infections to 3,150.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Foreign Ministry said all Iranians are requested to seriously avoid any trips to South Korea given the numerous cases of coronavirus in the country.
“Citizens who have returned (to Iran) from South Korea over the past two weeks should take appropriate precautions in accordance with the Ministry of Health’s guidelines,” the statement read.
“If the compatriots residing in S. Korea can't leave the country, they should abide by all health tips…,” it went on to say.
The rapid spread of the coronavirus has fuelled fears of a pandemic, with six countries reporting their first cases this week as the World Health Organization raised its global risk alert to “very high”. In China, it has killed more than 2,800 people and infected about 79,000 after it emerged late last year in the central city of Wuhan.
Iranian health officials said on Saturday that so far, the number of people with coronavirus disease has reached 593, of whom 43 people have lost their lives.
The health authorities also said that over the past days, 123 of the patients have recovered from the disease.
Medical staff in 20 provinces of Iran have been working tirelessly over the past week to contain the novel coronavirus.