Ex-Persepolis Midfielder Minavand Hospitalized after Testing Positive for COVID-19

Minavand has been hospitalized in intensive care unit (ICU) of the Laleh Hospital in Tehran.

The 45-year-old coach was part of Iran national football team in the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

Minavand played for Iranian club Persepolis in two stints.

Iranian Health Ministry Spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said on Thursday that at least 1,144,549 patients have recovered from the coronavirus infection so far or have been discharged from hospitals across the country.

She also put the death toll from the coronavirus at 57,150, saying the disease has taken the lives of 93 patients over the past 24 hours.

The number of people tested positive for COVID-19 infection in Iran has exceeded 1,354,520 following the detection of 4,148 new cases since Wednesday noon, the spokeswoman added.

The number of people infected with COVID-19 across the world has surpassed 97 million and the death toll has exceeded 2.08 million.