Iran announces 87 new deaths from the novel coronavirus as authorities move to tighten measures to stop its spread in some of the country’s worst-hit provinces.
Health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari says the overall toll in Iran’s outbreak stands at to 9,272 with 197,647 confirmed cases.
Five of Iran’s 31 provinces — Bushehr, East Azerbaijan, Hormozgan, Kermanshah and Khuzestan — are currently “red,” the highest level on the country’s color-coded risk scale.
East Azerbaijan is set to reimpose restrictive measures, according to state news agency IRNA. Hormozgan has also shut down all non-essential businesses, parks and government organisations, and reimposed an inter-city travel ban at least until Saturday.
Iranians are pictured at Azadi square in the capital Tehran on June 16, 2020 (ATTA KENARE / AFP)
Khuzestan was the first province to see a reimposed lockdown over a worsening situation after the government gradually lifted protocols from April in order to reopen its sanctions-hit economy.
Other provinces such as Golestan as well as Kohgiluyeh and Boyerahmad have also reimposed measures such as checkpoints at city entrances.
— AFP
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