Iran MP Dies Of Novel Coronavirus, Death Count Rises To 124

An Iranian lawmaker died from the novel coronavirus on Saturday, state news agency IRNA reported. Fatemeh Rahbar, 55, was a conservative MP and had recently been elected to the parliament from the capital Tehran. Iran has so far reported 145 deaths in the epidemic. In all, 4,747 people have been infected with COVID-19 since the outbreak began. She is the second lawmaker killed by the virus in Iran and one of seven politicians and government officials who have died in the outbreak since the country reported its first cases in mid-February.

Meanwhile, India is in discussions with Iran for evacuation of Indians, while a ferry flight will soon reach the national capital from Tehran with around 300 swab samples of Indians suspected of having coronavirus infection. The health ministry is planning to set up advanced testing facilities in Iran itself. Before they board the flight, a test can be done for these passengers.

Over 53,000 people have recovered from the infection globally, according to an interactive map compiled by the Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering. The World Health Organisation has already declared the outbreak a “global emergency”, stopping short of terming it a pandemic. Nose and throat swabs are used as specimens for detecting the coronavirus.

The test takes at least 12-24 hours for the confirmation. It a gene-based assay called polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and a more sensitive form called reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR). According to Kang, known for her inter-disciplinary research studying the transmission, development and prevention of intestinal infections, there are still more cases of flu in India and around the world than of the COVID-19.

(With Agency Inputs)