Iran denies claims that 50 die of coronavirus

ISTANBUL

Iran on Monday denied the claims that at least 50 people died of the coronavirus in the country’s northern city of Qom.

In a news conference aired by the state television, government spokesman Ali Rabiei said the claims that 50 people died of the Kovid-19 in Qom "are lies” and that “they do not reflect the truth.”

This came after Iranian lawmaker Ahmad Amiriabadi Farahani said at least 50 people died of the coronavirus in Qom over the past two weeks, according to country’s semiofficial ILNA news agency.

Farahani said there were no enough and adequate medical kits in the region, with health care personnel dealing with infected patients without having any virus protective equipment.

Many pharmacies don't even have masks, he added.

Earlier on Monday, Iran’s state television announced that the death toll from the virus in the country rose to 12 with 47 confirmed cases.

Turkey on Sunday temporarily closed its border with Iran and halted flights from Iran to prevent the spread of the virus.

In China, the epicenter of the virus, the death toll from the outbreak has reached 2,592, with over 77,000 confirmed cases.

Following the global spread of the virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak an international health emergency.

*Writing by Burak Bir and Erdogan Cagatay Zontur