WHO expresses concern as coronavirus kills four, infects several in Iran

World Health Organisation has recently expressed its concern on the rising number of coronavirus cases in Iran. Meanwhile, the deadly virus has reportedly infected over 77,700 people globally and killed nearly 2,300 with all but 15 deaths outside mainland China, So far, nearly 18 cases have been confirmed in Iran, including the four who died.

According to international media reports, WHO said that although the total number of positive cases outside China remains relatively small, the health organisation is concerned about those people who had no clear epidemiological link, such as travel history to China or contact with a confirmed case but still got infected. 

Read: Iran Reports 2 More Deaths, 13 New Cases Of New Coronavirus

Especially concerned about Iran

The UN agency further said that it was now especially concerned about escalating cases in the Islamic Republic of Iran. In an unprecedented development, the Islamic nation witnessed four deaths due to the deadly virus in the past two days. WHO has reportedly supplied testing kits to Iran. In addition, they continue to provide further support in the coming days & weeks, a news agency reported.

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Meanwhile, the spokesman of the Iranian health ministry, Kianoush Jahanpour, said the newly detected cases are all linked with the city of Qom where the first two elderly patients died earlier. Jahanpour said the new cases were either from Qom or had visited the city recently. He said four of them are hospitalized in the capital, Tehran, and two in the northern province of Gilan. Concerns over the spread of the virus, which originated in central China, prompted authorities in Iran to close all schools and Shiite seminaries in Qom.

Read: Coronavirus: 'Window Of Opportunity To Stem Virus Narrowing', Says WHO

(With inputs from agencies)