Coronavirus death toll in Iran close to 55,000

The death toll from COVID-19 infection in Iran is about to hit 55,000, while nearly 970,000 cases have recovered in the country.

According to Tasnim news agency, speaking at a daily press conference on Tuesday, Health Ministry Spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari put the death toll from the novel coronavirus in Iran at 54,946, saying the disease has taken the lives of 132 patients over the past 24 hours.

She also noted that at least 969,408 patients have recovered from the coronavirus infection so far or have been discharged from hospitals across the country.

The number of people tested positive for COVID-19 infection in Iran has surpassed 1,212,000 following the detection of 6,108 new cases since Monday noon, the spokeswoman added.

Among those undergoing treatment in medical centers at present, 5,128 patients have critical health conditions because of more severe infection, Lari noted.

She went on to say that more than 7,513,000 coronavirus diagnostic tests have been carried out in Iran so far.

The number of people infected with COVID-19 across the world has surpassed 81.7 million and the death toll has exceeded 1.78 million.

ME