Coronavirus Outbreak In Iran: No Quarantine, 3 Years Jail And Flogging For “Spreading Rumors” About Disease

Despite confronted with a rapid outbreak of the coronavirus, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced on Wednesday (Feb 26) that authorities won't quarantine cities in the country.

“Coronavirus must not be turned into a weapon for our enemies to halt work and production in our country,” Rouhani said.

Rouhani said added virus should not be allowed to cripple the country's economy.

As per official accounts. 19 Iranians have died from the illness so far, and the country has the highest number of cases in the Middle East. According to numbers provided by the Iranian health ministry, the death rate from Covid-19 is currently over 13%.

The city of Qom, which Shia Muslims consider as holy, has emerged as the epicentre of country's coronavirus epidemic. But despite warning by health officials to clerics to limit visitors to the city. pilgrimages have continued unabated.

A spokesperson of Iranian parliament on Wednesday also announced that anyone found to be “spreading rumors” about the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak will be sentenced to one-to-three years in prison and flogging, Iran state news agency IRNA reported.

“Spreading fake news over coronavirus outbreak will people panic. It also will pave the ground for the country’s shutdown,” said Hassan Norouzi, spokesman for the parliament’s legal and judicial committee, was quoted as saying by the Tehran Times.

Norouzi said the prison sentence and flogging is based on “on the Islamic penal code,” and 24 people have been arrested already on suspicion of “spreading rumors” about the illness.

Neighbouring nations are acting swiftly to contain the fallout of the epidemic emanating from Iran.

Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon and other regional states each have reported cases originating from Iran. Iraq and Afghanistan have closed their land borders with the country, and scores of flights to Iranian cities have been suspended.