Lockdown as cases set new record

Iran on Tuesday broke another record in the country’s daily new coronavirus cases, even as Tehran and its surroundings went into lockdown, a weeklong measure imposed amid another surge in the pandemic.

The country’s health ministry announced 27,444 new cases and 250 deaths over the past day, bringing the overall death toll to 87,624 from among more than 3.5 million confirmed cases in the pandemic.

On Tuesday, Iran embarked on another lockdown — the nation’s fifth so far — that is meant to last until next Monday.

On Monday, Tehran Province Gov. Anoushiravan Bandpay announced a code red, saying all hospitals in the province have reached their full capacity.