Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Sunday that “low risk” economic activities would resume on April 11 as the country continues to battle an outbreak of the novel coronavirus. “Restarting these activities does not mean we have abandoned the principle of staying at home,” Rouhani said in a televised meeting. The president did not specify what constitutes “low-risk” activities, but said that “high-risk” ones such as school and large gatherings would continue to be banned until April 18.The announcement comes as Iran reports a decline in new infections for the fifth straight day, but the number of recorded deaths continue to climb. Over 150 people have perished from COVID-19 in Iran just in the last 24 hours, raising the country’s total to 3,603, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. Health authorities have warned that Iran could see a new wave of infections and suspect that the current rate is underestimated. Rouhani has been resistant to lock down cities, but banned intercity travel until April 8.Economic experts warn that lockdowns could devastate the country’s economy, which is already inhibited by international sanctions.
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