Iran develops new screening app to trace coronavirus cases

TEHRAN, Iran, April 20 Trend: Iran President Hassan Rouhani announced a new way of screening the coronavirus infected persons, which started to be used in several provinces "This screening is based on tracing contacts of people who test positive for COVID-19," the head of state said at a meeting of National Committee on Combating Coronavirus on April 19, Trend reports citing IRNA. "This is a positive step that brings us closer to tighten the disease control,” Hassan Rouhani added. “Based on the data provided by the Ministry of Health, Sharif University has developed an application, through of which we can identify who are infected and placed in the red zone, non-infected in yellow area, and those undergoing treatment to be in purple area,” the head of state said referring to the mask application designed by the university scientists. Regarding the reopening of schools and universities, he said that no new decision has been made in this regard, except that universities can reopen their Ph.D. courses, while the rest education remains online until further notice. "Iranians who want to return to the country must follow the protocols of the Ministry of Health," he said. "Iranians who are abroad, both students and non-students, and willing to come back must follow the announced protocols, and they will be quarantined to be tested." The president noted that there is uncertainty regarding intercity transportation, especially in Tehran. “If we advise people to travel within the city by subway and bus, this means that the health protocol is violated, and if people use their personal cars, the traffic will be difficult,” said Rouhani. “It was decided to purchase extra buses by mid-May, and that the government will help to overhaul the old buses to prevent traffic problems,” he said.