Iran Says Virus Outbreak 'Relatively Stable' Despite Uptick

Iran said on Thursday its coronavirus outbreak was "relatively stable" as it announced another 68 deaths as well as more than 1,000 infections for a fourth straight day.

The Islamic republic has battled to contain the Middle East's deadliest outbreak of the COVID-19 illness since reporting its first cases in mid-February.

On Saturday the government's official tally of daily infections hit 802—its lowest level since March 10.

Iran's count stayed below 1,000 again on Sunday, however its caseload has bounced back up above that mark on each day since then.

Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said the situation was "relatively stable" as he announced that the latest fatalities took the overall death toll to 6,486.

Jahanpour said there were 1,485 new cases of infection, putting the country's outbreak total at 103,135.

"More than 986 of these individuals had mild to moderate symptoms, or they were outpatients, or family members of infected patients," he said.

Of all those infected, he added, 82,744 people had recovered from the illness and been discharged from hospital.

Doubts have been raised about the tolls issued by Iran since it announced its first cases on February 19 -- two deaths in the Shiite holy city of Qom.

Photo: IRNA