TEHRAN: Iran’s Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi tested positive for the coronavirus, semi-official news agency ILNA said on Tuesday.
This was confirmed by the spokesperson for Iran’s health ministry in an interview. The minister has been placed under quarantine.
The coronavirus claimed three more lives in Iran, taking the country’s overall official death toll to 15. However, a lawmaker claimed the toll could be as high as 50 in Qom.
The country’s government has pledged to be transparent after being accused of covering up the outbreak.
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani called for calm on Tuesday and teams were deployed to disinfect public spaces.
Despite being Iran’s epicentre of the outbreak, the city of Qom has yet to be quarantined. Schools, universities and cultural sites have been shut across the country.
Read more: Iran rejects reports of ‘50 deaths’ due to coronavirus in the country
