Iran Has Second Largest Number of Patients Recovering from Coronavirus: Official


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The spokesman for Iran’s National Headquarters for Coronavirus Management said according to the World Health Organization, the Islamic Republic ranks second in the world in terms of the number of patients who have recovered from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

“According to the WHO's statistics, Iran has managed to cure the largest number of patients with coronavirus disease after China,” Kianoush Jahanpour said on his Twitter account.

“Iran currently ranks second in the world in the treatment of COVID-19, with definitive treatment and recovery of at least 123 patients, higher than Singapore, Italy, Japan and South Korea,” he added in his tweet.

On Saturday, he said the total number of patients with the infectious disease since the first day of the outbreak to date is 593, of whom 43 have died, adding that 123 patients have also recovered.

Medical staffs in 20 provinces of Iran have been working tirelessly over the past week to contain the novel coronavirus that has originated from China.

Following the increase of coronavirus increase, the Iranian government ordered the shutting of schools until Tuesday and extended the closure of universities and a ban on concerts and sports events for a week.

Several high-ranking officials, including the deputy health minister and five lawmakers, have tested positive for the coronavirus as the spread of the outbreak forced the government to call on people to stay at home.

The rapid spread of the coronavirus has fuelled fears of a pandemic, with six countries reporting their first cases this week as the World Health Organization raised its global risk alert to “very high”. In China, it has killed more than 2,800 people and infected about 79,000 after it emerged late last year in the central city of Wuhan.