Iran: Over 11,000 people recovers from COVID-19

By Ahmet Dursun

ANKARA (AA) - More than 11,000 people who were treated for the novel coronavirus infection in Iran have been discharged from hospitals since the first case was confirmed in the country's Qom province on Feb. 19, according to health sources.

Over 32,000 people were confirmed to have contracted the virus, while a total of 11,133 people, or 35% of the total infections, have recovered from COVID-19 so far, according to data released by Iran’s Health Ministry.

The ministry announced that the average age of people who died from coronavirus is 67, and for those who are infected is 54.

Although most victims of the virus worldwide were among the elderly, many patients over the age of 80 have overcome the pandemic in Iran.

In Iran, the coronavirus mortality rate is higher than the world average.

As of March 3, globally, about 3.4% of reported COVID-19 cases have died of the coronavirus.

The fatality rate among the infected is 7.3% in the virus-hit country, where a total of 2,378 people lost their lives so far.

Iran is the third country with the highest death rate after Italy (10%), and Spain (7.6%).

Iran's youngest victim of deadly coronavirus was a 3-year-old toddler with leukemia.

A total of 43 health workers, including doctors, died from the disease.

After first appearing in Wuhan, China, last December, the virus has spread to at least 176 countries and regions, according to the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

More than 553,200 people have tested positive worldwide, with the death toll above 25,000 and over 127,500 recoveries.

* Writing by Zehra Nur Duz.