Funerals take place as virus deaths reach 2,757

Young clerics and religious students are volunteering to help perform Islamic burial rituals as Iran's death toll from the new coronavirus soared by 117 in 24 hours.

A spokesperson of the country's health ministry said on Monday that 3,186 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed across the nation over the past day.

In total, at least 41,495 people have contracted the disease in Iran with 2,757 deaths, according to the spokesperson.

As the nation deals with the increasing death toll, concerns have been raised by volunteers about whether virus victims have been buried in line with religious ritual.

Based on Islamic Sharia law, the bodies of Muslims are bathed and covered in a white cloth before a special prayer is performed at burial.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and could lead to death.