TEHRAN, Mar. 09 (MNA) – Deputy Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi said that the force has established a permanent base to combat the novel coronavirus in the country.

 “A permanent base has been established in the IRGC under the name of ‘Shafa’ that is cooperating with the national Coronavirus Combat and Prevention Headquarters headed by the Health Minister,” said Fadavi on Monday on the sidelines of a local event in Tehran.

He said that the base will decide on all the measures required to be done by the IRGC to contain the outbreak.

“The IRGC will provide a large number of beds to specialized centers in Tehran so that those patients who have got through the disease in hospitals would be transferred to these centers for eventual recovery without possibly transmitting the virus to others,” he said.

He went on to say that a meeting was held on Sunday chaired by IRGC commander Major General Hossein Salami which resulted in adopting ‘good’ decisions, including Mostazafan Foundation’s nod to not collect rents of its states for two months. He also said that efforts are underway to compensate for the losses of some businesses that have been affected by the virus.  

IRGC has been cooperating with the Health Ministry to contain the virus since the early days of the outbreak. The force has helped the anti-corona fight with disinfecting public places, deploying field hospitals, and offering medical services, among others.

IRGC commander Major General Hossein Salami held a phone conversation with Health Minister Saeed Namaki on Feb. 24, expressing readiness to combat the outbreak. Salami said that all the medical facilities and crews of the IRGC are ready to provide medical services to all people.

MNA/ 4873575