Saeed Namaki made the announcement at a televised news conference DUBAI: Iran’s health minister on Thursday encouraged the public to reduce its use of paper money as it is aiding the spread of the new coronavirus, and said authorities will begin manning checkpoints to limit travel between major cities in the Islamic Republic. Saeed Namaki made the announcement at a televised news conference. He added that schools and universities will remain closed through Nowruz, the Persian New Year, on March 20. He said people should stay in their vehicles at gas stations and allow attendants to fill their gas tanks to avoid the spread of the virus. There are now over 3,150 cases of the virus across the Mideast. Of those outside Iran in the region, most link back to the Islamic Republic. There, authorities say the virus has killed at least 92 people amid 2,922 confirmed cases. Iran and Italy have the world’s highest death tolls outside of China.