Iran: Death toll from coronavirus climbs to 5

By Muhammet Kursun

TEHRAN (AA) - The death toll from coronavirus in Iran has risen to five, according to a statement released by the country's Health Ministry on Saturday.

Spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour also reported 10 new coronavirus cases, taking the number of confirmed cases in the country to 28.

Jahanpour said eight of the new cases of the virus, officially known as COVID-19, were detected in Qom city and two others in the capital Tehran.

In China, the epicenter of the disease, the death toll from the outbreak has reached 2,347, with a total of 76,288 confirmed cases. Over 1,200 cases of the virus have been confirmed in 26 other countries with at least eight deaths.

Following the global spread of the virus, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak an international health emergency.

*Writing by Fahri Aksut