8% of Iran parliament members test positive for coronavirus

Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi said 2,336 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Iran | Photo from REUTERS

Iran has had the highest number of deaths from coronavirus outside China, where it originated, and several officials have been infected - including the head of Iran's emergency medical services, ILNA news agency reported on Tuesday.

Eight per cent of Iran's parliament has been tested positive for coronavirus, according to a CNN report.

Lawmaker Abdul Reza Misri said 23 members of parliament have been infected, according to state TV-affiliated website YJC.

He did not specify when they had been infected.

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According to Iran's deputy parliament speaker Abdul Reza Misri, 23 parliament members out of 290 have tested positive for the coronavirus, the report said, adding that meetings between lawmakers and citizens were cancelled in the wake of coronavirus outbreak in Iran.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday that Iranians should follow the recommendations of authorities to prevent the spread of coronavirus, as the deputy health minister reported more infections and a higher death toll of 77.

The death of one top official was reported on Monday.

Khamenei said government bodies and the armed forces should give full support to the health ministry and that Iranian authorities have dealt transparently with the virus's spread.

"Don't violate the recommendations and instructions of the responsible authorities in terms of prevention, in terms of keeping hands, face and living environment clean and not infecting these and preventing the infection of these," he said.

Khamenei also said the outbreak should not be overblown.

Separately, Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi said 2,336 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Iran.