Publish Date: 17 April 2020 - 16:00

TEHRAN, Apr. 17 (MNA) – Iranian Health Ministry said 1,499 new cases of COVID-19 infection have been detected in the country in the past day, increasing the total number the coronavirus patients at 79,494.

Health Ministry Spokesman Kianous Jahanpour said on Friday that 54,060 patients suffering from the novel coronavirus have recovered and been discharged from hospitals so far.

Unfortunately, he added, 89 coronavirus patients lost their lives in the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 4,958, he said.

Some 3,563 patients are in critical condition, said the Health Ministry spokesman.

The novel coronavirus has infected over 2.19 million people across the world, of whom more than 147,000 have died and 555,000 have recovered from the disease.

MNA/4902550