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COVID-19: Death toll jumps to 12 in Iran

Earlier on Sunday, Iran’s health minister acknowledged that travel from China brought the new virus to the country

Tehran: Four more people have died of coronavirus in Iran, a spokesman for parliament said on Monday, bringing to 12 the country's overall death toll from the outbreak.

“The minister of health announced the deaths of 12 people and 47 cases of infection in the country,” Assadollah Abbassi was quoted as saying by semi-official news agency ISNA after a closed session of parliament.

Earlier on Sunday, Iran’s health minister acknowledged that travel from China brought the new virus to the country.

Saeed Namaki told state TV that the virus came from China to the holy city of Qom in central Iran. He said that one the Iranian dead from the virus was a merchant who regularly shuttled between the two countries using indirect flights in recent weeks, after Iran stopped direct passenger flights to China.

Namaki also defended the government’s handling of the outbreak, saying it was being “transparent.” He said it would help make face-masks and sanitizers available for Iranians, amid concerns that stocks were running low in the capital’s pharmacies.

Iran is also producing kits for diagnosis of the infection, he added.

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