The Iranian Health Ministry announced on Thursday that the number of novel coronavirus cases in the country had jumped to 245, with 106 cases being reported on Thursday.
This is the highest number of coronavirus cases reported in a single day since Iran announced its first infections on February 19. As many as 26 people have died of coronavirus in Iran, the highest death toll outside of China, the worst-affected nation.
Two senior government officials have been confirmed as having coronavirus. One of them is Massoumeh Ebtekar, one of Iran's seven vice presidents. Ebtekar, incidentally, started her political career as a spokesperson for the students who took US embassy staff hostage in 1979. Ebtekar, who oversees the women's affairs role, is being treated at home and her staff are also being tested, Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported.
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Mojtaba Zolnour, a cleric who heads the national security and foreign affairs committee in Parliament, has also contracted coronavirus. Zolnour is deputy for the holy city of Qom, where the first coronavirus cases in Iran were detected. Earlier this week, Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi, the head of Iran's coronavirus task force, said he had contracted the infection.
Following the rise in coronavirus cases, the Iranian government has restricted access to major Shia shrines such as the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad and the Fatima Masumeh shrine in Qom.
The government has also cancelled Friday prayers in Tehran, Qom and Mashhad and capitals of 22 of Iran's 31 provinces.
