Iran: Woman dies of suspected Coronavirus infection, Health Ministry denies claims

A 63-year-old Iranian woman has reportedly died of a suspected Coronavirus (recently named 'COVID-19' by the WHO) infection in a Tehran hospital on February 10, an Iranian local media reported. According to reports, an investigation has now been ordered into the case of her death. However, a spokesperson for Iran's Health Ministry, Kianush Kahanpour, denied the reports and said that there have been no cases of Coronavirus in Iran. 

The outbreak which took place in Wuhan in January has now killed hundreds of people. The death toll for the virus in China has also reportedly jumped to nearly 1,100 with another 1,638 new confirmed cases. The total number of confirmed cases across China are now more than 44,200. Hubei province, which is the epicentre of the viral outbreak, has also reported 94 new deaths.

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The World Health Organisation has reportedly said that China's Coronavirus outbreak is a 'very grave threat for the rest of the world' and should also be viewed by other nations as 'public enemy number 1'. The virus officially also named 'COVID-19' at the conference in Geneva held by WHO, where the body's chief further said that countries had a chance of stopping its global spread. Earlier this month, WHO also declared the Coronavirus as a 'global public health emergency'.

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Vaccine in 18 months

The WHO chief on Tuesday said that the first vaccine aimed at combating China's deadly new Coronavirus could be available in 18 months. The WHO chief also added that until a vaccine is developed the countries around the world must combat the virus with everything that is available to them today. 

The organisation further cautioned about the spread of cases outside of China as it could be 'the spark that becomes a bigger fire'. There are also more than 300 cases in 24 other countries and territories. However, only two deaths have been reported outside China so far. WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also reportedly said that although 99 per cent of cases are in China, where it remains 'very much an emergency', it also 'holds a very grave threat for the rest of the world'.

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(With Agency Inputs)