The novel Coronavirus, which has claimed 2,592 deaths among 77,150 cases, mostly in the central province of Hubei has now been reported to reach Iran where at least 50 people have died in the Shia shrine city of Qom month, Iran’s semiofficial ILNA news agency reported on Monday.
The Associated Press reported that the new death toll is significantly higher than the latest number of confirmed cases of infections that Iranian officials had reported just a few hours earlier which stood at just 12 deaths out of 47 cases, according to state TV.
According to The Guardian, an official from Qom, Ahmad Amiriabadi Farahani, was quoted in ILNA saying that more than 250 people are in quarantined in the city. He said the 50 deaths date as far back as 13 February. Iran, however, first officially reported cases of the virus and its first deaths on 19 February. The director of one of the city’s main hospitals was also reported to have contracted the virus. Many pilgrims who have visited the city or have left the city are also believed to be affected.
Many cases have been reported in Italy as well where four people have died due to this virus and the number of cases in the country rose to 152 on Saturday. The government closed off the worst-hit areas in the northern regions of Lombardy and Veneto.
Meanwhile, over 763 cases of Coronavirus have been reported in South Korea making it the biggest center after China.
The annual parliament session in China has also been postponed in view of the deadly virus. Chinese political leaders including President Xi Jinping are normally expected to attend the in March which has been put on hold first time since the Cultural Revolution.