Coronavirus: Death toll in Iran rises to 2,378

Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said on Friday that number of deaths in Iran due to the coronavirus have reached 2,378, with 144 people dying in the past 24 hours.

The total number of confirmed cases of the disease increased by 2,926 to 32,332, he told state TV, adding that 2,893 of the patients are in a critical condition.

An Iranian official said in a televised news conference on Thursday, that Iran launched an intercity travel ban to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The move came a day after Iran’s government spokesman warned the country might face a surge of cases in the coronavirus pandemic.

Officials have complained that many Iranians ignored appeals to stay at home and cancel travel plans for the Persian New Year holidays that began on March 20.

“Those who have travelled for the Iranian New Year holidays should immediately return to their cities without making any stops in other cities on their way back home,” said Hossein Zolfaghari, a member of Iran’s national headquarters for fighting the coronavirus.

The authorities have called on Iranians to avoid public places and stay at home, while schools, universities, cultural and sports centres have been temporarily closed.