Virus on rise again in Iran with over 3,000 cases for third day

The spread of novel coronavirus has accelerated again this month in Iran which officially confirms over 3,000 new cases for a third consecutive day.

The country has recorded an additional 3,134 cases, health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour tells state television, bringing the total number of infections to 160,696.

Another 70 people have died, Jahanpour adds, taking the death toll to 8,012 since the outbreak was first declared in the country in February.

Iranians shop in the capital Tehran on June 2, 2020 during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic (ATTA KENARE / AFP)

Infections have been on a rising trajectory in the Islamic Republic since hitting a near two-month low on May 2, though the official number of daily deaths has remained below 100 in recent weeks.

— AFP