Tehran, Nov 21 (IANS): Due to a record surge in the number of fresh coronavirus cases and deaths across Iran, the country will enter a two-week lockdown from Saturday.

Under the new lockdown, travel to and from 150 red-alert cities, including capital Tehran, will be banned for two weeks and a night curfew on movements will be in force from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. everyday, reports Press TV.

The initiative also requires the presence of one-third of government employees in the red zones.

Non-essential travels to and from high-risk cities are banned.

The Health Ministry said the new rules will be strictly enforced and those who violate will be fined.

The new lockdown comes amid an unabated surge in fresh cases and fatalities that increased fourfold in less than two months, the Ministry said.

Last week, the number of daily infections crossed the 13,000 mark and has been hovering around that figure, while the death toll is also inching closer to the 500 mark.

Health officials have said that the next two weeks are pivotal in the course of the nation's fight against the pandemic.

As of Saturday, Iran's overall caseload and death toll have surged to 828,377 and 43,896, repectively.