Publish Date: 1 March 2020 - 09:17

TEHRAN, Mar. 01 (MNA) – According to the latest reports, the novel coronavirus has so far infected 86,992 people in 64 countries, claiming 2,979 lives.

The novel coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19 has killed 2,979 people worldwide, the vast majority in mainland China, according to Aljazeera.

Mainland China reported 573 new confirmed coronavirus cases on February 29, up from 427 on the previous day, the country's health authority said on Sunday.

The number of deaths stood at 35, down from 47 on the previous day, bringing the total death toll in mainland China to 2,870.

The virus continued to spread around the world on Saturday with countries in Europe announcing new cases, Iran revealing another jump in infections, and Qatar becoming the latest Middle Eastern country to report its first case.

The coronavirus outbreak in Iran rose to 43 by Saturday, up 9 from a day before. 205 more cases have tested positive with the virus, increasing the total number of infections in Iran to 593.

South Korea, which is grappling with the largest outbreak of the virus outside China, has urged citizens to stay indoors warning of a 'critical moment' in the spread of the infection. The country now has a total of 3,526 cases.

In Europe, Italy has reported more than 1,000 coronavirus cases and 29 deaths, the most in Europe. France said it has 100.

Thailand and Armenia have also recorded their first cases in the coronavirus outbreak.

Australia has recorded its first death from the coronavirus after a 78-year-old man who had been evacuated from the quarantined Diamond Princess Cruise ship died in a Perth hospital. It has reported 25 cases of coronavirus.

MNA/PR