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HEALTH-VIRUS-IRAN
Iran virus deaths surpass 15,000
TEHRAN, July 23, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Iran’s death toll from the novel
coronavirus surpassed 15,000, health authorities announced Thursday,
as the country struggles to contain the Middle East’s deadliest
outbreak.
“Unfortunately we lost 221 of our dear compatriots to the COVID-19
disease in the course of the past 24 hours,” health ministry
spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said on state television.
The fatalities bring the total number of deaths to 15,074 in the
Islamic republic.
The country has faced a rise in cases and deaths since the end of
June, reporting on Tuesday the highest single-day death toll of 229
since announcing its first cases in February.
Lari urged Iranians to avoid all non-essential travel, enclosed
spaces and large gatherings to help stem the spread of the virus.
She added that an additional 2,621 COVID-19 cases had been
confirmed, bringing the total caseload to 284,034.
BSs/AFP/MRU/1824hrs