TEHRAN, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Iran confirmed 3,890 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, raising the total number in the country to 530,380, official news agency IRNA reported.
Sima Sadat Lari, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, said during her daily briefing that 252 deaths related to the virus were registered overnight, increasing the death toll to 30,375.
Of the newly infected, 1,661 had to be hospitalized, she added.
In addition, 427,400 have recovered from the disease or been released from hospitals by Sunday, while 4,744 in critical condition remain in intensive care units, Lari noted.
The number of laboratory tests carried out in Iran for COVID-19 has increased to 4,511,154, according to the spokeswoman.
The risk of infection is still high in 27 provinces while three others are on alert over the spread of the epidemic, she said.
Following the COVID-19 resurgence in Iran over the past weeks, the health authorities have reintroduced strict protective measures, including intercity travel bans in some regions and compulsory use of face masks in the capital Tehran.
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
