BBC Persian Says At Least 210 Dead from Coronavirus in Iran

(Bloomberg) -- The coronavirus outbreak has killed at least 210 people in Iran, London-based BBC Persian reported, citing unidentified sources at various hospitals in Iran.

Tehran accounts for most of the deaths, according to the story, which gives no details on the locations of the hospitals.

Bloomberg News couldn’t independently verify the information. The Ministry of Health didn’t immediately reply to a message seeking comment.

Earlier today state television reported that 34 people in Iran died from coronavirus and 388 people tested positive. The Health Ministry said at the time that it expects more cases in coming days.

Earlier this week the government denied a claim by a lawmaker from Qom that 50 people had died from the virus in that city alone.

BBC Persian is a Persian-language news channel and website. It is banned from Iran by the country’s authorities.

To contact the reporter on this story: Christopher Kingdon in London at ckingdon@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Lin Noueihed at lnoueihed@bloomberg.net, Andrew J. Barden

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