COVID-19: Iran says in total 43 infected with coronavirus, 8 dead

The outbreak in Iran has centered on the holy city of Qom.

Iran's health ministry says the death toll from the new virus in the country has risen to 8 people, confirming 43 cases of the illness in the Middle Eastern country.
Spokesman for the Iranian health ministry Kianoush Jahanpour was speaking on state TV Sunday.
The outbreak in Iran has centered on the holy city of Qom, where officials say travellers from China brought the new coronavirus.
Jahanpour added that out 15 newly confirmed cases, 7 were in Qom, while four were in the capital, Tehran.
On Saturday, authorities announced the detection of at least 10 new cases of coronavirus, deepening a sense of public unease over the handling of the spread of the disease.
Most of the cases, including eight of the new infections, have been in Qom, a Muslim holy city 120 km (75 miles) south of the capital Tehran.
(Coronavirus: Everything you need to know about the Covid-19 Wuhan virus outbreak)
Schools, universities and seminaries in Qom will be closed on Sunday and Monday in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus, the government crisis management headquarters for Qom province announced on Saturday, according to the official IRNA news agency.
Health officials had called on Thursday for the suspension of all religious gatherings in Qom.
The cases in Iran have affected the neighboring region.
The UAE announced two new coronavirus cases on Saturday, an Iranian tourist and his wife, the state news agency WAM reported, raising the total number of coronavirus cases in that country to 13.
Lebanon confirmed its first coronavirus case on Friday, a 45-year-old woman returning from Qom.
Iran has suspended religious pilgrimage trips to Iraq, an official who oversees pilgrimage trips said on Saturday, according to the Fars news agency.
Iraq announced on Thursday that it had banned border crossings by Iranian nationals, Iraq's state news agency said.
The decision came after Iraqi Airways suspended flights to Iran. Kuwait Airways also suspended all flights to Iran starting on Thursday. Saudi Arabia said on Friday it had suspended travel by citizens and expatriates to Iran.
 

• MENA