Iran
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Iran on Friday said that 89 more people have died in the country from the novel coronavirus, as the country's official fatalities remained in double figures for a fourth day, AFP reported.

The latest deaths bring the overall toll in Iran to 4,958, said Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour.

It was the sixth day that the official fatality rate has dropped in the Middle East's worst-hit country.

Jahanpour added that 1,499 new infections had been confirmed in the past 24 hours, taking the total to 79,494 from 319,879 tests.

Of those confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus and admitted to hospital, 54,064 had been discharged after recovering.

Another 3,563 were in critical condition.

Ever since the country reported its first deaths two months ago, there has been speculation abroad that the tolls are higher than officially announced.

A parliamentary report on Tuesday said the officially announced figures were based only on those hospitalized with "severe symptoms".

It said the death toll was estimated to be as much as 80 percent more and infections "eight to 10 times" higher.

At least 31 members of the Iranian parliament have contracted the virus, including its speaker Ali Larijani, who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month.

High-profile deaths in Iran from the coronavirus include a member of the council advising the Ayatollah, a former ambassador, a newly-elected member of parliament, an adviser to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and a re-elected member of parliament.

A top adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Ali Akbar Velayati, was also reported to have been infected with the virus.

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)