Tehran, Mar 31 (IANS): Iran has asked its citizens to avoid Nature Day celebration in parks and the countryside to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

To implement the social distancing plan in the country, "all the parks and entertaining centers are closed and attending these places are forbidden", the Corona Management Bureau said in a statement on Monday quoted by the official IRNA news agency.

It urged people to remain in their homes and help the authorities to deal with the challenges posed by the raging pandemic of COVID-19, which has killed 2,757 as of Monday, reports Xinhua news agency.

The police will deal with any violation regarding social distancing regulations, it added.

On March 27, Iran announced the implementation of an one-week social distancing plan, which was later extended until April 7.

The country usually celebrates the 13th day of the Iranian New Year, officially called Nature Day, which falls on the first day of April this year.

Iran is the worst-hit country in the Middle East by the pandemic.

The Ministry of Health and Medical Education on Monday reported that the total number of the COVID-19 cases in the country soared to 41,495.