In new spike, Iran says 135 more people died of coronavirus
Iran announced on Tuesday another 135 deaths from the novel coronavirus, bringing the overall toll to 988 in one of the world's worst-hit countries. "Reports by more than 56 laboratories indicated that we have had 1,178 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection in the past 24 hours," health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said in a televised news conference.
- World
- AP
- Published Date: 02:38 | 17 March 2020
- Modified Date: 02:39 | 17 March 2020
Iran says the new coronavirus has killed 135 more people, a 13% spike that raises the death toll to 988 amid 16,169 infections.
That's according to Iran Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour, who gave the figure at a televised news conference Tuesday.
The death toll's continued sharp increase worries experts that the outbreak in the Islamic Republic is far from being contained.
Meanwhile, Friday will mark the Persian New Year, Nowruz, raising fears of people traveling and further spreading the virus.