Tasnim � The spokesman for the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps said five IRGC members have been martyred during the fight against the novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19, in Iran.

In remarks on Wednesday, General Ramezan Sharif highlighted the major role the IRGC and Basij (mobilization) forces play in containing the coronavirus in Iran and explained their latest efforts to provide health services for the patients with the infectious disease.

There are now over 100,000 IRGC and Basij forces actively participating in the campaign against the new coronavirus and the treatment of patients in the country, he said.

The spokesman went on to say that five IRGC forces and a few others from Basij have lost their lives in the operations to provide health services for the patients.

Iran�s administration on Thursday extended the closure of all schools and universities nationwide until the end of the current Iranian year (March 19) as the country is struggling with the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

First detected in Wuhan city in central China in December, the virus has spread to more than 100 countries.

More than 4,200 people have died of COVID-19 across the world, and more than 113,000 people have also been infected, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). About 64,000 people have also recovered from the illness, globally.

The death toll from COVID-19 outbreak in Iran has risen to 354. Meanwhile, more than 2,950 coronavirus patients have recovered from the respiratory disease and discharged from hospitals so far.