Iran records nearly 4,500 coronavirus-related deaths

ANKARA

With 117 more deaths from the new coronavirus, Iran’s death toll rose to 4,474, a health official said on Sunday.

Kianoush Jahanpour, a Health Ministry spokesman, told a live state TV broadcast that 1,657 more people tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the total infections to 71,686.

Jahanpour said 43,894 people have recovered so far and been discharged from hospitals, while 3,930 patients are in critical condition.

Since appearing in China last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 185 countries and regions.

Data compiled by the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University shows that worldwide infections have reached 1.78 million, with the death toll passing 109,000. Nearly 406,000 people have recovered.

* Writing by Erdogan Cagatay Zontur