11:58

Iran, facing the potential closure of some of its borders, has ordered extra supplies of face masks, disinfectants and gloves as worried Iranians responded to the sudden outbreak of coronavirus that has so far claimed five lives in the country.

The health ministry announced on Saturday that 10 new cases of coronavirus had been detected, including one person who has died. Both Iraq and Turkey were placing restrictions on visitors from Iran.

A health ministry spokesman, Kianush Jahanpur, said the new numbers brought the total number of cases of the new coronavirus in Iran to 28, with five deaths.

Extra diagnostic supplies have been sent to the country by the World Health Organization. The ministry said it would take steps to prevent pharmacists exploiting the rise in demand for masks amid reports that prices were being doubled or even inflated by five times. The number of people wearing masks has visibly increased over the past 48 hours in the capital, Tehran, with some commuters avoiding the underground and other crowded public spaces.

Earlier reports said two patients had died in Qom on Thursday. Most of the new cases include people living in Qom and those who have visited the religious city, an hour’s drive south of Tehran, during the past week.

A local Tehran mayor was among those reported to have contracted the virus, provoking concern that other politicians that had recently met with him were at risk. At one point it was reported that Tehran city council was to be shut for a week, but this was later denied.



Jahanpur said earlier that 735 patients with symptoms similar to flu had been hospitalised in various cities.