TEHRAN, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- The number of COVID-19 infections confirmed so far in Iran reached 416,198 on Friday, after an overnight registration of 3,049 new cases, Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education announced.
Sima Sadat Lari, the spokeswoman for the ministry, reported at her daily briefing 144 new deaths in Iran over the virus, taking the total death toll to 23,952 so far.
Of the new infections, 1,593 patients required hospitalization, Sadat Lari said, as quoted by the ministry's website.
As of Friday, 355,505 COVID-19 patients have recovered and been dispatched from hospitals, but currently 3,869 people remain in critical conditions in intensive care units, the spokeswoman added.
According to Sadat Lari's figures, 3,691,399 laboratory tests for COVID-19 have been carried out so far in Iran.
13 Iranian provinces are in high-risk situation, and 15 others are on alert, she added.
Iran announced its first cases of COVID-19 on Feb. 19.
Iran and China have offered mutual help in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
In mid-February, at the early stage of the coronavirus outbreak in China, Iran lit up the Tehran Azadi (Liberty) Tower to show its solidarity with China, and donated 3 million masks to China.
In return, China delivered several shipments of medical supplies to Iran. On Feb. 29, a five-member Chinese medical team visited Iran for a month-long mission to help Iran fight the pandemic. Enditem
