Iran Press/Iran News: Speaking on Wednesday at a cabinet meeting, President Rouhani said: "I would like to tell our dear people that just like all the challenges that the country has occasionally faced and overcome, and all of us had to cope with those challenges, the coronavirus follows the same pattern."
"Fortunately, in the last couple of weeks, there have been many good efforts in the country in prevention, diagnosis, quarantine, and treatment. We need a wise approach to this issue and we need to act professionally and seriously. For this reason, the management of the issue has been delegated to a special headquarters headed by the Minister of Health and Medical Education."
President Rouhani went on to say: "Therefore, in all matters, in terms of the statistics and figures that need to be provided to the public, and the recommendations that people should listen to, as well as the centers available for diagnosis and treatment, people should not pay attention to rumors."
Rouhani reiterated that reports given by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education at the session of the National Headquarters for Fighting Coronavirus last night were promising.
The president added: "Today, I received a report that the kits we were importing from overseas through the World Health Organization (WHO) - which we will continue to follow - are also being produced and tested by our domestic specialists."
"Of course, what is being done is round-the-clock, accurate and scientific work. Overall, we see a decline in referrals to hospital and progress in treatment. This means that if 100 people were hospitalized in the early days, 7-8 people might have lost their lives, but today, this percentage is much lower," Rouhani remarked.
"Of course, as recommended, unnecessary travel should be reduced substantially or eliminated altogether. Our manufacturing and production units must do all they can to provide people with the necessary items they need. Fortunately, in recent days, the Police have worked well not to let a small number of people take advantage of these issues."
Elsewhere in his remarks President Rouhani said: "But what is more important than coronavirus is the virus of fear, anxiety, and mistrust. This virus is worse than coronavirus and we should not create doubt and anxiety in people."
President Rouhani also said: "Influenza virus goes around the world every year and takes its toll, killing people every year. In recent years and in the US, statistics show that there have been between 12,000 to 100,000 flu deaths a year. Various influenza viruses have come and some of them have been eradicated."
Coronavirus deaths are no more than influenza. According to doctors and experts, the same thing was said last night. But the type of spread may be different, all of which is true. Specialists need to come and tell people the truth and explain it to the people, he noted.
Rouhani added, "People’s anxiety and fear should not exceed a certain limit, because their cumulative effect is dangerous in itself and can cause other problems."
"Another point I would like to emphasize is the rumors among people that a city is going to be quarantined for a month or a week. No such decision has been made. We do not quarantine a neighbourhood or a city. What is quarantined is individuals; that is, if a person has primary symptoms, that person must be quarantined. So people must not think that a store or town will be closed or a general quarantine will be declared."
President reiterated, "I assure people that all food, raw materials, even detergents, which we are a little short of these days, will be supplied in the coming days. People need to be absolutely confident that the figures will be accurately stated and they must not worry. I would like to once again thank the doctors, nurses and hospital staff for their preparation, presence, hard work, and dedication these days, which will continue."
Rouhani highlighted, "The point I want to emphasize is that coronavirus should not become a weapon in the hand of our enemies; Americans and our enemies have wanted to halt our manufacturing and production and economic activities in this two-year-period (about 21-months) with their sanctions and propaganda."
"We must not let the United States attach a new virus to the coronavirus by stopping our social activities through tremendous fear; this is a conspiracy we see today and you see in foreign propaganda. Recently, a top American official talked about coronavirus in Iran; they are also suffering from coronavirus, influenza has killed 16,000 people in the United States, but they are not speaking about themselves. Americans better take care of thousands of flu vicitms in their own country", the president concluded.
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