Iran Registers Record Daily High in COVID-19 Cases

Iran’s health ministry on Tuesday reported 3,712 new coronavirus infections in the previous 24 hours, the highest daily tally recorded since February.

The new cases raised the national cumulative total to 429,193.

Also, Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari told state TV that 178 people had died from the disease in the previous 24 hours.

The recent deaths brought the official death toll in Iran to 24,656.

Iranian health officials have warned about a third wave of the pandemic, while the government has blamed the spike in infections partly on a decline in public adherence to health protocols.

Despite concerns over the spread of the coronavirus, schools re-opened on Sept. 5 for 15 million students, although the education ministry said later that attending classes was not compulsory for children.

On Feb. 19, Iran, one of the worst-hit countries in the Middle East, publicly announced its first two COVID-19 cases, as well as deaths caused by the virus.