Iran Minister coughs, wipes sweat amid Coronavirus briefing, hours prior to his diagnosis

Iran's deputy health minister Iraj Harirchi was seen evidently discomforted and perspiring, hours before he was diagnosed for Coronavirus. Now in quarantine, the Iranian Minister was diagnosed for the deadly Coronavirus on Tuesday, thus taking the number of cases to 95 in the Middle Eastern country and death toll to 15, as per IRNA. 

The virus that has now affected over 80,000 people worldwide is now spreading in parts of Europe and the Middle East. Addressing a joint press brief with the Iran government's spokesperson Rabiei and among journalists on Tuesday, an uneasy Iraj Harirchi could be seen mopping the sweat off his forehead and wiping his nose. 

In a room full of reporters and government officials, the Iranian Minister, prior to being officially diagnosed, even gave a television interview to an Iranian news channel. In the interview, shared vividly on social media, Iraj Harirchi was seen coughing continuously and wiping his nose. However, the Iranian Minister was not wearing a protective mask in either of these videos, thus putting the rest of those in the press conference and the TV news journalist in danger of the highly infectious virus.

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Following his diagnose, in a video broadcast, the Iranian Minister announced that he was infected with the virus. "I too have been infected with coronavirus," Harirchi said. "I've isolated myself in a place since. A few minutes ago, I was told that my final test was final, and now I am starting medication," he said as per translations by international media.  

Coronavirus in Iran 

After being accused of cover-up in the Coronavirus outbreak, the Iranian government led by Hassan Rouhani has now pledged to be transparent with its figures including the death toll. Iran's government's spokesperson, Ali Rabiei, made the statement standing next the Iranian deputy health minister. "We pledge to be transparent about the reporting of figures," said Rabiei.

The pledge was made after an Iranian lawmaker accused the government of hiding the full extent of the coronavirus outbreak in Qom, which has now reported 50 deaths from the deadly virus. According to semi-official news agency ISNA, Ahmad Amiriabadi Farahani, an official from the holy city of Qom, accused Iran’s Health Minister of “lying” about the outbreak. 

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