Iran reports 272 more virus deaths, over 4,200 cases

TEHRAN

At least 272 more coronavirus-related fatalities have raised the death toll in Iran to 28,816, the country's Health Ministry said on Monday.

Some 4,206 more people tested positive for the virus over the past 24 hours, pushing the overall count up to 504,281, ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said.

She added that 409,121 patients have recovered so far, while 4,533 remain in critical condition.

Lari warned that 30 of Iran’s 31 provinces are currently red zones with high risk of coronavirus transmission.

Iran is struggling to contain the pandemic since February, when the first cases were confirmed in the city of Qom.

Restrictions have been reimposed in Tehran, Qom, Qazvin, and Alborz provinces as the country has seen a significant surge in new infections and fatalities in recent weeks.

Health Minister Saeed Namaki earlier warned that the country was in the grip of a third wave after managing to overcome the first two waves.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz from Ankara