Iran reported its single biggest jump in deaths from the new coronavirus on Wednesday as another 147 people died, raising the country's overall death toll to 1,135.
The nearly 15% spike in deaths — amid a total of 17,361 confirmed cases in
Iran — marks the biggest 24-hour rise in fatalities since officials first acknowledged cases of the virus in Iran in mid-February.
Iran's deputy health minister, Alireza Raisi, urged the public to avoid travel and crowded places.