Iran begins lifting Covid-19 lockdown, eases restriction even as cases rise

Iran began reopening government offices on Saturday after a brief nationwide lockdown to help contain the worst coronavirus outbreak in the Middle East, which has killed more than 4,300 people in the country.

Authorities had ordered most government agencies and all non-essential businesses to remain closed for a week after the Nowruz holiday ended on April 4.

Government offices outside the capital, Tehran, reopened on Saturday with two-thirds of employees coming in while the rest are working from home, state media reported.

Women who have young children were given priority in deciding who works remotely. Businesses outside the capital were also allowed to reopen Saturday, the first day of the workweek.

Businesses in Tehran will be allowed to reopen next Saturday, provided they register with authorities and follow guidelines on social distancing set out by the Health Ministry. 

Meanwhile, the ministry reported another 125 deaths, bringing the overall toll to 4,357. The country has reported more than 70,000 confirmed cases, and authorities say more than 40,000 have recovered.

The virus causes mild to moderate symptoms in most patients, who recover within a few weeks. But it is highly contagious and can cause severe illness or death, particularly in elderly patients or those with underlying health problems.

For weeks, Iran declined to impose the kind of wide-scale lockdowns adopted by other Middle Eastern countries, even as the number of confirmed cases and fatalities steadily climbed. The virus has also infected and killed a number of senior Iranian officials.

Authorities have defended their response, saying they have to consider the economic impact of any quarantine measures since the country is under severe U.S. sanctions. President Donald Trump imposed heavy sanctions, including on oil exports, after withdrawing the US from Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

The US has offered humanitarian aid to help Iran combat the outbreak, but Iran's leaders have rejected it, instead of demanding that the sanctions be lifted.