Iran says coronavirus deaths top 10,000

Iran on Thursday announced 134 new deaths from the novel coronavirus took the overall toll in the Middle East's deadliest outbreak past 10,000.

"We lost 134 of our compatriots in the past 24 hours and the total number of victims is 10,130," health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari told a televised news conference.

It was the seventh straight day that Iran has reported more than 100 coronavirus deaths.

Lari said another 2,595 people had tested positive for the virus over the same 24-hour period, bringing the country's overall caseload to 215,096.

Hospital admissions were highest in the provinces of Bushehr, Hormozgan, Kermanshah, Khuzestan and Kurdistan, while they were increasing in Tehran and Fars, she said.

"We call on all our compatriots to follow the health protocols, especially the elderly and those with underlying diseases," said Lari.

"We also urge children and young people not to be present in crowded centres, to keep their distance from the elderly, grandparents, and to help them to stay at home as much as possible."

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