TEHRAN – A COVID-19 rapid testing program is being implemented across the city of Ahvaz, southwestern Khuzestan province, as a new wave of the virus has pushed the city into a high-risk red zone.

Teams of emergency medical services are settled in crowded parts of the city to rapidly identify those individuals who are suspicious of being infected with the disease.

With the spread of the UK mutated variant of the virus in the province, some officials suggested that all the cities should be completely locked down, but unfortunately, some businesses have remained open, putting the city in a dangerous situation.

Khuzestan is in a dangerous situation with 11 high-risk “red” cities and 8 medium-risk “orange” cities.

Iraqi nationals visiting Iran have worsened the coronavirus pandemic in the southwestern Khuzestan province, IRNA quoted the province’s governor-general, Qassem Soleimani-Dashtaki, as saying on February 22.

More than 300 Iraqi nationals cross Chazzabeh and Shalamcheh borders on a daily basis, he said, adding that the issue has contributed to a rise in the number of coronavirus cases.

So that Iran has closed five crossing points with Iraq to prevent the spread of the UK variant of coronavirus.

On February 13, President Hassan Rouhani emphasized the necessity for people to follow health protocols, as a new wave of coronavirus may hit the country within the next two months.

He called on the people to observe the hygiene principles, insisting that anyone who enters the country should undergo the COVID-19 test. “We should all join hands to prevent the fourth wave of the outbreak,” he asserted.

FB/MG