Iran to Begin Production of Remdesivir to Combat Coronavirus

Iranian companies will begin production of the antiviral drug Remdesivir next week, which is intended to assist in the fight against the spread of the coronavirus. This was announced by the country’s Minister of Health, Saeed Namaki, on July 15.

“Currently, there is no effective and verified medication worldwide to combat the coronavirus, but patients in Europe and America are being prescribed Remdesivir,” IRNA agency quoted him as saying. “We currently have it in sufficient quantities in the country, and starting next week, we will begin its production.”

According to the Minister, new restrictions have been announced in Iran, and if these do not yield results, they will be expanded. Earlier on July 15, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani stated that a second wave of the coronavirus has begun in the country.

Amid the worsening situation related to the coronavirus, Iranian authorities have made wearing masks mandatory in public spaces since July 5, and swimming pools and sports clubs in Tehran have been suspended for a week.

According to official statistics, the number of infections in Iran peaked on March 30, after which it began to decline to a minimum (802 cases). This was reported by Armenpress. Following May 3, this figure started to rise again, reaching the highest level on June 4 (3,574 cases). The highest number of deaths in a single day (221) was recorded in the republic on July 9, according to TASS.