A firefighter disinfects a traditional shopping center to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus in northern Tehran, Iran, on March, 6, 2020. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- Iran's Health Ministry said Saturday the death toll from the virus climbed to 145 while more than 1,000 infections were confirmed overnight totaling some 5,823 cases nationwide.

Some 21 new deaths were reported Saturday by the ministry's spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour. He said there were 16,000 cases are hospitalized across the country, with some still being tested or monitored to see if they had contracted the virus.

The capital of Tehran alone has the most infections, with more than 1,500 cases, followed by the Shiite holy city of Qom with 668 and the northern Mazandaran province with 606 cases.