Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday the country should draw up its economic plans based on a worst-case scenario that disruptions arising from the coronavirus crisis could last till next March.
“We should plan production based on a pessimistic view that we might face this virus till the end of the (Iranian) year (in March,” he said in a meeting with heads of Iranian private companies carried live on state TV.
Iran's death toll from the new coronavirus rose by 76 during the last 24 hours to reach a total of 5,650, a Health Ministry spokesman said on state TV on Saturday.
The total number of people diagnosed with the virus is 89,328, of whom 3,096 are in a critical condition, the spokesman Kianush Jahanpur said.
Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi said the country's daily death tally had fallen by about 70% from its peak, while the number of coronavirus patients in hospital had fallen by about half.
Iran is the region’s country worst-affected by the COVID-19 respiratory disease and has one of the world's highest death tolls.
