Iran reports 49 new coronavirus deaths, highest single-day toll

A local resident walking through a street market in Shahr-e-Ray, south of Teheran. Iran's health ministry on Sunday (March 8) reported 49 new deaths from the Covid-19 (coronavirus), the highest toll within 24 hours since the start of the outbreak in the Islamic republic. - AP

TEHERAN: Iran's health ministry on Sunday (March 8) reported 49 new deaths from the Covid-19 (coronavirus), the highest toll within 24 hours since the start of the outbreak in the Islamic republic.

The new count brings the number of those killed by the virus in the country since mid-February to 194, one of the highest tolls outside of China, where the disease originated.

The virus has spread to all of Iran's 31 provinces with 6,566 confirmed cases.