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| Coronavirus: Iran denies cover-up as death toll rises to 12 | Coronavirus: Iran denies cover-up as death toll rises to 12 |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Iran's deputy health minister has denied a claim of a cover-up over the new coronavirus disease, as the number of confirmed deaths there rose to 12. | Iran's deputy health minister has denied a claim of a cover-up over the new coronavirus disease, as the number of confirmed deaths there rose to 12. |
| A parliamentarian for Qom, the city at the centre of Iran's Covid-19 outbreak, accused the authorities of lying about the full extent of the problem. | A parliamentarian for Qom, the city at the centre of Iran's Covid-19 outbreak, accused the authorities of lying about the full extent of the problem. |
| Ahmad Amirabadi-Farahani said there had been 50 deaths in Qom alone. | Ahmad Amirabadi-Farahani said there had been 50 deaths in Qom alone. |
| That was rejected by the minister, who vowed to resign if it could be proven that even half that number had died. | That was rejected by the minister, who vowed to resign if it could be proven that even half that number had died. |
| "I categorically deny this information," Iraj Harirchi told a news conference. | "I categorically deny this information," Iraj Harirchi told a news conference. |
| "This is not the time for political confrontations. The coronavirus is a national problem," he added. | "This is not the time for political confrontations. The coronavirus is a national problem," he added. |
| More on the coronavirus outbreak | More on the coronavirus outbreak |
| Government spokesman Ali Rabiei also insisted that officials would be transparent about reporting deaths associated with Covid-19, the infectious respiratory disease caused by the virus. | Government spokesman Ali Rabiei also insisted that officials would be transparent about reporting deaths associated with Covid-19, the infectious respiratory disease caused by the virus. |
| However, Mr Amirabadi-Farahani refused to retract his claim. | However, Mr Amirabadi-Farahani refused to retract his claim. |
| "I have given the names of 40 dead people to the deputy minister. Now, we await his resignation," he was quoted as saying by the Ilna news agency. | "I have given the names of 40 dead people to the deputy minister. Now, we await his resignation," he was quoted as saying by the Ilna news agency. |
| At least 61 cases of Covid-19 have been reported in Iran since last Wednesday. | At least 61 cases of Covid-19 have been reported in Iran since last Wednesday. |
| Qom province is the worst hit, with 34 cases, according to the health ministry. Tehran has 13 cases, Gilan six, Markazi four, Isfahan two, and Hamadan and Mazandaran one each. | Qom province is the worst hit, with 34 cases, according to the health ministry. Tehran has 13 cases, Gilan six, Markazi four, Isfahan two, and Hamadan and Mazandaran one each. |
| The authorities have ordered the closure of schools and universities in Qom in an attempt to prevent the spread of Covid-19. | The authorities have ordered the closure of schools and universities in Qom in an attempt to prevent the spread of Covid-19. |
| Holy city at centre of outbreak | |
| Qom, 120km (75 miles) south of Tehran, has a population of more than 1.2 million. | |
| The city is visited by millions of Shia Muslim pilgrims and tourists from Iran and other countries every year because it is the location of the mausoleum of Hazrat Masumeh, a revered female saint who was the sister of the eighth Shia Imam. | |
| Qom is also home to many of Iran's most senior Shia clerics, and tens of thousands of theology students come from across the world to attend its seminary. | |
| Citing Health Minister Said Namaki, a spokesman for Iran's parliament told a closed session on Monday that "the cause of coronavirus infections in Iran is people who have entered the country illegally from Pakistan, Afghanistan and China", the Isna news agency reported. | Citing Health Minister Said Namaki, a spokesman for Iran's parliament told a closed session on Monday that "the cause of coronavirus infections in Iran is people who have entered the country illegally from Pakistan, Afghanistan and China", the Isna news agency reported. |
| Mr Namaki said in televised remarks on Sunday that one of the people who died in Qom was a merchant from the city who used to travel regularly to China. | Mr Namaki said in televised remarks on Sunday that one of the people who died in Qom was a merchant from the city who used to travel regularly to China. |
| He urged people to avoid travelling to Qom, which is a major destination for Shia Muslim pilgrims. | He urged people to avoid travelling to Qom, which is a major destination for Shia Muslim pilgrims. |
| Also on Monday, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq and Oman became the latest Middle Eastern countries to report their first cases, all of them linked to Iran. | |
| Kuwait said it had detected Covid-13 in three people - including one Kuwaiti man and one Saudi man - who were evacuated from Iran on Saturday. | |
| Oman's two cases were two Omani women who visited Iran, local media reported. | |
| Iraq said it was treating an Iranian theology student living in the Shia holy city of Najaf, while Bahrain said a Bahraini citizen who had arrived from Iran had been diagnosed with the disease. | |
| Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Turkey, Pakistan and Afghanistan have imposed restrictions on travel and immigration from Iran. | Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Turkey, Pakistan and Afghanistan have imposed restrictions on travel and immigration from Iran. |
| The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Sunday that there have been 78,811 reported cases of Covid-19 and 2,462 related deaths. All but 1,769 cases and 17 of the deaths have been reported in China. | The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Sunday that there have been 78,811 reported cases of Covid-19 and 2,462 related deaths. All but 1,769 cases and 17 of the deaths have been reported in China. |
| BBC medical correspondent Fergus Walsh says health experts fear it may be too late to prevent the coronavirus outbreak from becoming a global pandemic, with the virus spreading in the community in multiple parts of the world. | BBC medical correspondent Fergus Walsh says health experts fear it may be too late to prevent the coronavirus outbreak from becoming a global pandemic, with the virus spreading in the community in multiple parts of the world. |
| "We are specially concerned about the rapid increase in cases in... Iran, Italy and the Republic of Korea," WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. | "We are specially concerned about the rapid increase in cases in... Iran, Italy and the Republic of Korea," WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. |