Iran reports 129 new virus deaths, taking total to 853

Tuesday, 17 March 2020 00:08 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

TEHRAN (AFP): Iran said yesterday that the novel coronavirus had killed 129 more people, a new record high for a single day in one of the world’s worst-hit countries.

“Our plea is that everyone take this virus seriously and in no way attempt to travel to any province,” health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said in a televised news conference.

The latest deaths bring the overall toll to 853 fatalities since 19 February, when the Government announced Iran’s first two deaths from the COVID-19 disease.

Jahanpour also reported 1,053 confirmed new cases of infection in the past 24 hours, raising the total to 14,991.

Tehran province had the highest number of new infections with 200 cases, about 50 fewer than the day before.

The Central Province of Isfahan followed with 118 cases, with Mazandaran in the north of Iran coming next with 96.

Khorasan Razavi province, home to the holy Shiite city of Mashhad, was not among the reported provinces with fresh cases. It had recorded 143 the day before.