Islam Times - Coronavirus Death Toll Rises to 12 in Iran

Islam Times - Iran’s Health Minister Saeed Namaki says the number of people who have died from the coronavirus in the country has risen to 12 and the total number of confirmed cases to 47, an MP said.

The spokesman for the Iranian parliament’s presiding board said the Health Minister has announced in a closer-door session of the parliament on Monday that the number of cases admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 infection has reached 47 and the death toll has risen to 12.

The minister has also noted that two coronavirus cases have been detected in capital Tehran, both of whom had travelled to the city of Qom, where the first cases of coronavirus were reported in Iran, Asadollah Abbasi said.

The lawmaker said families in the province of Qom are being given free packages including masks and detergents.

The Health Ministry says the source of contagion in Iran were the individuals returning to Iran from Pakistan, Afghanistan and China, some of whom have crossed the border illegally, the MP added.

China had 150 new confirmed coronavirus deaths on Sunday, the National Health Commission announced on Monday, pushing the death toll nationwide to 2,592.

Meanwhile, Kuwait and Bahrain reported their first cases of the virus, while Turkey, Pakistan and Armenia closed their borders with Iran.

Neighboring Afghanistan also introduced travel restrictions for Iranians.

At least 152 cases and three deaths were also reported in Italy, prompting emergency measures in Europe.