Deputy Iranian Health Minister Harirchi Infected With COVID-19 - Official

TEHRAN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th February, 2020) Iranian Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi has been confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Alireza Vahabzadeh, an adviser to the health minister, said on Tuesday.

"It has been confirmed that Iranian Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi was infected with the coronavirus after hard work to combat the spread of the disease in the Iranian cities during recent days," Vahabzadeh wrote on Twitter.

Earlier on Tuesday, spokeasman for the Health Ministry Kianush Jahanpur said the total number of people infected with COVID-19 across Iran has risen to 95, up 34 cases from the previous day, and that 15 of them had died.

Meanwhile, Iraq has decided to extend the entry ban for foreign nationals coming from the countries affected by COVID-19, including neighboring Iran.

Baghdad has temporarily closed the border crossings with Iran over concerns of the disease spreading.

Bahraini Foreign Ministry has banned its citizens who have relatives in Iran from visiting the country. In total, 17 cases have been recorded in Bahrain, with nine being recorded on Tuesday.

As of Tuesday, the COVID-19 outbreak has already left over 80,000 people infected worldwide, with the death toll of more than 2,700. Recovery rates are on the rise, however, with 27,843 patients now having been discharged from hospitals around the globe.