Iran reports 91 coronavirus deaths in 24 hours

Iran’s Health Ministry reported 91 fatalities from the coronavirus in the past 24 hours, putting the total death toll at 59,663.

The ministry’s spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said on Tuesday that 8,330 people tested positive for the virus from Monday to Tuesday, bringing the total number of the new cases to 1,590,605, according to IRNA.

New figures in the country show an increase in the number of fatalities and new positive cases.

In recent days, the southwestern province of Khuzestan, which shares a border with several Iraqi cities, has reported a growing number of new coronavirus cases, especially the new variant which emerged in the UK.

Iran has imposed a ban on passenger travel through five of its border crossings into neighboring Iraq amid heightened fears about the spread of the mutated variant, Press TV reported.

Iranian customs office (IRICA) said on Monday that movement through four crossings into Iraq had been suspended and a fifth major gateway to the Arab country will stop processing passengers as of Tuesday.

IRICA spokesman Rouhollah Latifi said the decision was meant to contain the spread of the so-called British variant of the coronavirus amid fears that the infection is spreading fast in provinces on the Iraqi border.

Latifi said the ban would be inclusive and would apply to passengers with special travel permits, including diplomatic staff.

Reports suggested the closures would be in place at least for two weeks while borders will remain open to cargo trucks.

Iran is struggling to prevent a fourth wave of coronavirus infections in the run-up to the Persian New Year holidays beginning on March 20.