TEHRAN: Iran on Friday reported its highest number of new coronavirus infections in more than a month as it warned of clusters hitting new regions.
The Islamic republic has struggled to contain the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease since its first cases emerged in mid-February.
Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said 2,102 new cases were confirmed across the country in the past 24 hours, bringing the overall total to 116,635.
That figure is the highest Iran has announced for a single day since April 6.
Jahanpour said the virus had claimed another 48 lives over the same period, raising the overall death toll to 6,902.
The southwestern province of Khuzestan remained “red” — the top level of Iran’s color-coded risk scale.
Several more provinces could be added to that level of alert, he said.
“Other provinces that we may see rising infections in are Lorestan, Sistan and Baluchistan, and East Azerbaijan,” Jahanpour said in televised remarks.
The spokesman issued what he called a “warning” to residents of the provinces to observe health protocols.
Lorestan lies in western Iran, East Azerbaijan in the northwest, and Sistan and Baluchistan in the southeast bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Jahanpour had said on Thursday that North Khorasan province in the northeast may also be close to “critical condition.”
Khuzestan is the only province so far where authorities have reimposed stringent measures like shutting businesses after a countrywide relaxation in April.
Iran stopped publishing provincial figures for the coronavirus last month.
Of those hospitalized with COVID-19, 91,836 have recovered and been discharged.
Experts both at home and abroad have voiced skepticism about Iran’s official figures, saying the real toll could be much higher.
Iran reports 2,102 new virus cases, highest in over month
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Iran reports 2,102 new virus cases, highest in over month
- Iran stopped publishing provincial figures for the coronavirus last month
- Experts both at home and abroad have voiced skepticism about Iran’s official figures, saying the real toll could be much higher
Australia tells families of diplomats to leave Israel, Lebanon
- The government has also offered voluntary departures to Australian diplomats’ dependants in the UAE, Jordan and Qatar
- The Australian government continues to advise citizens in Israel and Lebanon to consider leaving
JERUSALEM: The Australian government has told dependants of Australian diplomats in Israel and Lebanon to leave the two Middle East countries, citing a deteriorating security situation in the region, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday.
The government has also offered voluntary departures to Australian diplomats’ dependants in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Qatar, it said on an official ministry X account.
US President Donald Trump laid out his case for a possible attack on Iran in his State of the Union speech to Congress on Tuesday, saying he would not allow the world’s biggest sponsor of terrorism to have a nuclear weapon.
Iran and the United States resumed negotiations earlier this month as Washington builds up military capability in the Middle East. Iran has threatened to strike US bases in the region if it is attacked, but Tehran’s top diplomat said on Tuesday that a deal with the US was “within reach” if diplomacy is prioritized.
The Australian government continues to advise citizens in Israel and Lebanon to consider leaving while commercial options are still available, the foreign ministry said.
The announcements were made in a series of posts on the foreign ministry’s Smartraveler X account.
