DEPUTY Health Minister of Iran, Iraj Harirchi, has tested positive to Covid 19, according to Alireza Vahabzadeh, a media adviser to the minister.
In a tweet shared on Tuesday, Vahabzadeh, said that the Iranian health official who has been leading his country’s response to the outbreak and assisting with suspected cases, has the virus.
“The Coronavirus test for Mr. Harirchi, the deputy health minister who was on the front lines combating the coronavirus, was positive,”Vahabzadeh tweet read.
It was gathered that the deputy minister was on Monday captured displaying flu-like symptoms including sweating, coughing and experiencing weakness, while at a press conference.
Reports state that it is unclear how he contracted the virus, but health officials said he had been dealing with some patients suspected of having the coronavirus.
The number of coronavirus cases and deaths continue to rise in Iran, showing the country is at the brink of a major outbreak. According to reports, 95 people have been infected and 15 people out of the 95 have died from the deadly infection.
Globally, the virus has infected more than 80,000 and killed at least 2,700.
In Nigeria, no case of Coronavirus has been detected or recorded but The ICIR earlier did a report in which it found that two major hospitals in the Federal Capital Territory are ill-equipped to handle the virus or any other infectious disease.
Seun Durojaiye is a journalist with International Center for Investigative Reporting (ICIR).