TEHRAN, Iran — The coronavirus epidemic in Iran has cost 26 lives, the health ministry announced Thursday, with a vice president becoming the latest top official to be infected as the spread appeared to accelerate. Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour told a news conference that the tally of infections had risen to 245 with 106 more cases confirmed -- the highest number for a single day since Iran announced its first infections on February 19. The Islamic republic has the highest death toll from the virus outside China, where COVID-19 first emerged. Among the latest coronavirus sufferers is one of Iran's seven vice presidents, Massoumeh Ebtekar, who oversees women's affairs. The cleric is a deputy for the Shiite holy city of Qom in central Iran where the country's first cases were detected.

Source: Philippine Star February 27, 2020 18:33 UTC