The health ministry said on Tuesday that 92 people had died so far from coronavirus, one of the highest death tolls outside China where the epidemic originated late last year. It said 2,922 people had been infected with the disease.

Among those infected is first vice president Eshaq Jahangiri, the IranWire news site reported, citing an "informed source". There was no immediate confirmation from officials. Several Iranian officials have come down with coronavirus and one senior official died from an infection on Monday. The Islamic Republic has cancelled Friday prayers in all provincial capitals this week because of the coronavirus outbreak, state television reported on Wednesday.

Copyright Reuters, 2020