Source: Xinhua| 2019-12-03 05:00:40|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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A man wearing a mask sits at a bus station in Tehran, Iran, on Dec. 4, 2019. At least 56 people have died from flu in Iran over the past two months, Iranian Deputy Health Minister Alireza Reisi was quoted as saying by semi-official Mehr news agency on Monday. (Photo by Ahmad Halabisaz/Xinhua)

TEHRAN, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- At least 56 people have died from flu in Iran over the past two months, Iranian Deputy Health Minister Alireza Reisi was quoted as saying by semi-official Mehr news agency on Monday.

Reisi said that over the past week, 273 people were admitted to the hospitals because of the exposure to the disease, of which 19 patients died.

The Iranian official said that nearly all the patients who lost their lives were old people or people with chronic diseases.

He urged people to observe sanitary directions and protective measures with the arrival of the cold season.

On Monday, the authorities in a number of Iranian cities announced the closure of schools amid the concerns over the spread of disease.