By Canadian Press

Iran says 92 dead amid 2,922 cases of the new coronavirus

Mar 4, 2020 | 3:19 AM

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran says the new coronavirus has killed 92 people amid 2,922 confirmed cases across the Islamic Republic.

Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour announced the new figures at a news conference Wednesday in Tehran.

There are now over 3,140 cases of the new virus across the Mideast. Of those outside Iran in the region, most link back to the Islamic Republic.

The virus has sickened top leaders inside Iran’s civilian government and Shiite theocracy. Iran stands alone in how the virus has affected its government, even compared to hard-hit China, the epicenter of the outbreak. Worldwide, the virus has infected more than 90,000 people and caused over 3,100 deaths.

Experts worry Iran may be underreporting the number of cases it has.

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“The virus has no wings to fly,” Jahanpour said. “We are the ones who transfer it to each other.”

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani meanwhile acknowledged that the virus was in nearly all of Iran’s 31 provinces while speaking at a Cabinet meeting Wednesday.

“This disease is a widespread one,” he said, according to a transcript. “It encompasses almost all of our provinces and is, in a sense, a global disease that many countries in the world have become infected with, and we must work together to tackle this problem as quickly as possible.”

Amir Vahdat, The Associated Press