Zali said in a meeting with artists that the municipality officials have plans to shut down the state organizations and control all the vehicles at the capital's entrance and exit points.
On quarantining Tehran, he said that such a scheme would have several phases, the first and second of which are being implemented.
He, however, noted that the third phase which will include shutting down all the state organizations and keeping people at their homes has not been implemented yet.
He said that the fourth phase, which is the full quarantine of the city, could only be done when the previous phases have been carried out well.
The absolute quarantine of the city has no scientific base and will not work as many other cities and provinces have been affected by the epidemics.
Zali, the head of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, called on the Iranian artists to encourage people to remain at their homes and not to travel during the upcoming Iranian New Year holidays of Nowruz.
Noting that most of those affected with the virus in Iran had no chronic diseases, the official said, “now we are examining whether we are facing a wild virus in Iran and Italy when compared to that affected China and the rest of the Europe.”
“Currently a large part of our hospital capacity is busy dealing with the disease and if it continues, even all our hospital capacity will not be able to respond to the demands. Makeshift hospitals have been prepared for emergency response.”
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