6,000 Iranians get tested daily for coronavirus

ANKARA

Approximately 6,000 Iranians get tested per day for the novel coronavirus, an official said on Saturday.

Speaking to Iran's official IRNA news agency, Director of Pasteur Institute of Iran Dr. Alireza Biglari said over 220,000 of coronavirus test kits have been donated to Iran, about 80,000 of them already used.

Biglari noted that 50 laboratories serve for the COVID-19 tests across Iran, and added that the number will increase to 70.

Youngest victim of coronavirus in Iran

Iran’s Health Ministry announced that the average age of people who died from coronavirus is 67, and for those who infected is 54.

The country's youngest victim of deadly coronavirus, a 3-year-old toddler with leukemia, succumbed to epidemic.

Besides China, Italy and South Korea, Iran is among the worst-affected countries since the outbreak of the disease last December.

As part of its efforts to contain the virus, Tehran has taken several measures including the closure of all schools and higher learning institutions, calling off sports events and banning government officials from leaving the country.

After emerging in China last December, the novel coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, has spread to 129 countries and territories.

The global death toll is now around 5,400, with more than 142,000 confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which has declared the outbreak a global pandemic.

* Writing by Burak Dag.