Iran has launched a campaign to motivate a reluctant public to use face masks as the country faces a sharp increase in infections and deaths from the coronavirus.

Launching the “#I wear mask” campaign, Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi pleaded with citizens, especially young Iranians, to take the disease seriously.

“In our country, every 33 seconds, one person is infected with the coronavirus, and every 13 minutes, one person dies from it,” he said.

“I desperately — and in a friendly way — plead with people to cooperate in observing medical protocols for their own sake and that of others,” Harirchi said.