Iran Raises Official Coronavirus Death Toll to 77

Iranian Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi told state television on Tuesday that the country had 2,336 confirmed cases of coronavirus, and that 77 patients had died. “Based on the latest statistics that have been compiled, there have been an additional 835 definite new infections,” he said. “Unfortunately, we have 11 new deaths.” Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also went on state TV on Tuesday to help reassure citizens that the outbreak was under control. “I don’t want to minimize the issue, but let’s not make it very big either,” he said. Still, he had a few suggestions. “Don’t violate the recommendations and instructions of the authorities in terms of prevention, in terms of keeping hands, face and living environment clean….,” he said. “It’s an issue that has occurred, it’s for a period… that, inshallah, will not be very long.”