Iraj Harirchi, Iran’s deputy health minister, has placed himself in isolation after testing positive to coronavirus.
The country’s ministry of health announced that Harirchi had contracted the disease on Tuesday.
Harirchi, who has spearheaded Iran’s efforts to contain the virus, also confirmed that he had the disease.
In a video he aired from his house, the minister said he would begin treatment immediately.
“I wanted to tell you that I got corona. I had a fever yesterday. The tests came back positive last night. I isolated myself. Just a few moments ago, I was told that the final test came,” Harirchi said in a video he posted on social media.
“I’ll start taking medicine. Generally, I feel fine. I just felt a bit tired, I had a fever, and it will drop.”
Harirchi, who said the disease is no respected of persons, assured the people that the disease would be defeated in a matter of weeks.
“Be sure with the effort of the medical staff and ministry of health headed by the [health minister] and with your support and the state and military within the coming weeks, we’ll be victorious against this virus,” he said.
“We’ll defeat corona. Be assured. I’m saying this deep from my heart. This virus is democratic, and it doesn’t distinguish between poor and rich or statesman and an ordinary citizen.
“Many might get infected, but we have enough effective medicine, take care of yourselves. Take care of the nurses and doctors who work heroically.
There have been more than 80,000 reported cases of coronavirus officially named COVID-19 worldwide and about 2,700 related deaths since the disease first broke out in Wuhan, China, late last year.
