Tehran, Iran (CNN) Iran's novel coronavirus death toll has climbed to 19, with 139 confirmed cases of the sickness.

Despite the spread of the virus, President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday that authorities won't quarantine any Iranian cities. He also warned about the virus becoming "a weapon at the hands of our enemies," as part of "propaganda" against the country.

Rouhani said the virus should not further cripple the country's economy.

Iran has the most coronavirus cases in the Middle East, and is in an ongoing state of economic crisis. US sanctions on the country have seen its currency tank and unemployment grow.

A worker disinfects a public bus amid efforts to contain the coronavirus in Tehran on Wednesday.

In China's Hubei province, the epicenter of the virus, reported fatal cases of coronavirus would put the death rate at around 2%. South Korea, another outbreak center for the sickness, would have a mortality rate from the virus of around 1% based on figures provided by that country. In Iran, according to numbers provided by the Iranian health ministry, the death rate from Covid-19 would be over 13%.

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