Iran: Death toll from coronavirus rises to 6,937

By Ahmet Dursun

ANKARA (AA) - Iran on Saturday confirmed 35 more fatalities from the coronavirus over the past 24 hours, taking the nationwide death toll to 6,937.

A further 1,757 people tested positive for COVID-19, raising the overall count to 118,392, Iran's state broadcaster reported, citing a Health Ministry statement.

It also noted that the country reported the lowest daily fatalities of the last 70 days.

The statement added that 93,147 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals so far, while 2,716 patients remained in critical condition.

- Schools re-opened on Saturday

Primary and secondary schools, closed across Iran under the measures against the pandemic on March 5, were reopened on Saturday, after a decision taken by National Coronavirus Council.

The use of masks and gloves is compulsory in schools, said Iran's state broadcaster.

Although teachers are obliged to be present at schools to compensate for the disrupted lessons, the students are not.

In Iran, one of the Middle Eastern countries hardest hit by the pandemic, COVID-19 was first detected in the city of Qom on Feb. 19 and then spread throughout the country.

Since the virus emerged in Wuhan, China last December, it has spread to 188 countries and regions.

The global death toll from the novel coronavirus has exceeded 308,300, with more than 4.57 million confirmed cases and recoveries have surpassed 1.65 million, according to a running tally by US-based Johns Hopkins University.

* Writing by Havva Kara Aydin