Iran's new coronavirus total death toll rises to 5,031 - health official

Iran's death toll from the new coronavirus rose by 73 in the previous 24 hours to reach 5,031 on Saturday, health ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpour said on state TV. The number of death recorded daily is one of the lowest in recent days, he said. The total number of people diagnosed with the COVID-19 disease caused by the new virus reached 80,868, he said.

A parliamentary report released earlier this week said the coronavirus death toll might be almost double the figures announced by the health ministry, and the number of infections eight to 10 times more. Iran is the Middle Eastern country worst-affected by the COVID-19 respiratory disease and has one of the world's highest death tolls.