Iran declares data on support funds paid to COVID-hit people, businesses

TEHRAN, Iran, July 29 Trend: Iranian Deputy Minister of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare said Isaa Mansouri that so far, some $318.5 million have been paid to the individuals and businesses in the country that suffered from the COVID-19 spread, Trend reports via Mehr News Agency. “According to the latest statistics, 503,000 units have registered to receive the support packages so far. Of this number, 290,000 cases have been reviewed and financed and 655,000 people have been employed,” Mansouri said. The official added that 834 job categories severely affected by the outbreak of coronavirus have been identified. “The number of damaged enterprises in the 14 selected categories is 3 million units, of which 1.3 million units were already insured, and 1.7 million units did not have any insurance,” he said. Mansouri went on to say that the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Trade with 324 severely affected job categories, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts with 213 job categories and the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance with 154 job categories were revealed to be affected the most, as far as jobs go. He stated that the budget of $9.5 billion has been allocated for the coronavirus-affected individuals and businesses, which include 108 large suburban public transport companies, including in air, rail and sea sectors. The Islamic Republic of Iran only announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19. The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan - which is an international transport hub - began at a fish market in late December 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019.