Iran’s trade minister recovers from coronavirus

ANKARA

Iran’s Minister of Industry, Mines and Business Reza Rahmani recovered from the novel coronavirus Tuesday after receiving treatment at a hospital, according to media reports.

He was transferred to the intensive care unit after his health deteriorated, and the doctors' efforts improved his condition and he was discharged from the hospital, according to the semi-official Fars news agency, which cited the Rahmani’s advisor Ali Akbar Rezaei, who said the minister is convalescing at home.

The Asriaran local media website reported March 4 that Rahmani tested positive for the virus known as COVID-19 and was in the intensive care unit at Tehran's Imam Khomeini Hospital.

The global death toll from the virus surpassed 4,000, with more than 114,000 confirmed cases.

According to Worldometer, a website that compiles new case numbers, the virus has spread to more than 115 countries and territories, including 7,513 in South Korea, 9,172 in Italy, 7,161 in Iran, 530 in Japan, 1,412 in France, 729 in the U.S. and 321 in the U.K.

As part of efforts to contain the outbreak, governments have closed borders and suspended land and air travel with the worst-hit countries.

World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom said Monday that with the virus present in so many countries, the threat of a pandemic had "become very real."

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat