Iranian authorities have provided shocking statistics showing the massive scale of the local Covid-19 outbreak. The country remains the worst-affected in the Middle East, with 1,284 coronavirus deaths already.

“Based on our information, every 10 minutes one person dies from the coronavirus and some 50 people become infected with the virus every hour in Iran,” Kianush Jahanpur, the health ministry spokesman, wrote on Twitter.

The death toll from the disease in Iran has reached 1,284 people, with 149 deaths coming in the last 24 hours. With 18,407 infected, Iranian medics are overwhelmed with the number of patients.

The fight against the highly-contagious virus is being hampered by the harsh US sanctions against Tehran which Washington refuses to remove or soften despite international calls.

Also on rt.com Iran’s supreme leader issues fatwa banning ‘unnecessary travel’ as coronavirus death toll mounts

The Covid-19 epidemic has botched the celebrations of Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, which are to begin on Friday. The government called on citizens to stay indoors and avoid traveling to help contain the

virus.

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