TEHRAN (Iran News) – No entry is allowed into forest parks across Iran on the national Nature’s Day (this year falling on April 1) due to the coronavirus spread, announced the country’s Forests, Range and Watershed Management Organization (FRWMO).

‎Locally known as Sizdah Bedar, the national Nature’s Day marks the 13th day of Farvardin – the first month of the Iranian calendar year – and the final day of ‎the two-week New Year holidays (this year beginning on March 20).

Speaking to Tasnim News Agency, Kourosh Khalatbari, the ‎director-general of FRWMO’s Department of Forest Affairs, stressed that the country’s police will also assist the organization in the enforcement of the restriction.

He said the decision is made in an effort to curb the spread of the virus and in view of the stress placed on the issue by the National Headquarters for Managing and Fighting Coronavirus.

On Friday, the Iranian government began implementing a social-distancing plan to contain the coronavirus spread and announced that it will continue until April 8. Under the scheme, the government banned unnecessary intercity and intra-city travels, closed inessential businesses and commercial centers and imposed a public lockdown.

The coronavirus, which causes a respiratory disease, emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in ‎Hubei Province late last year and is currently affecting a large number of countries and territories across ‎the globe. It has infected and killed people in a large number of countries. ‎

On Sunday, Iran’s Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said the coronavirus infections in the ‎country have reached 38,309, and the death toll stands at 2,640, IRNA reported. ‎

He noted that 2,901 new cases have been identified in the past 24 years, putting the number of deaths in ‎the same time span at 123. ‎

He added 12,391 coronavirus patients have recovered so far in the ‎country. ‎

Jahanpour regretted that of the total number of the infected, 3,467 patients are in critical condition.

He added so far, 57 million have been screened in Iran for coronavirus symptoms.