Iranian MP ‘dies of flu’ as coronavirus outbreak spreads

An Iranian MP has died of flu, a state-run news agency has reported, amid a sharp rise in the number of novel coronavirus cases in the Islamic Republic.

Mohammad Ali Ramazani Dastak, who was recently elected as the representative for Astana Ashrafieh, is believed to have tested positive for the illness a few days ago.

According to the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA), Dastak died on Saturday morning after being taken to hospital with “influenza and chemical injuries” sustained in the Iran-Iraq war.

منتخب مردم آستانه اشرفیه درگذشت

«محمدعلی رمضانی دستک» منتخب مردم آستانه اشرفیه در یازدهمین دوره انتخابات مجلس ساعاتی پیش درگذشت، وی به دلیل بیماری آنفلوانزا و صدمات شیمیایی ناشی از جنگ تحمیلی در بیمارستان بستری بود که به همرزمان شهیدش پیوست.https://t.co/r5vCMwy0p1 pic.twitter.com/LjVtemVSGv

— خبرگزاری ایسنا (@isna_farsi) February 29, 2020

The Islamic Republic’s health ministry has reported nine new deaths and a 53 percent jump in infections over the past 24 hours, taking the overall total to 43 deaths and 593 cases.

“Unfortunately nine people died of the virus in the last 24 hours, with death toll at 43 people” Kianush Jahanpur, the Islamic Republic’s Ministry of Health spokesperson Kianush Jahanpur said.

Iran health officials have however, accused the government of cover up saying at least 210 people have died from the illness.

Also Read
• Coronavirus epidemic surges in South Korea as cases exceed 3,000

Several other high-ranking officials in Iran, including a vice minister, deputy health minister and five lawmakers, have also tested positive for the coronavirus.

Africa Tembelea understands that Iran has the world’s highest death toll outside of China, the centre of the outbreak, and has been the source of all of Bahrain’s 38 cases so far.

In Africa, cases have been confirmed in Egypt and Algeria with Nigeria being the first in sub-Saharan Africa to report an incident.