Iran virus death toll reaches 5,957 as country reopens business

The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in Iran rose by 80 in the past twenty-four hours to 5,957, Health Ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur said in a statement on state TV on Wednesday.

The total number of diagnosed cases of new coronavirus in Iran has reached 93,657, he said.

Meanwhile, Iran, one of the countries hardest hit by the outbreak in the Middle East, reopened for business despite its persistent coronavirus outbreak as there was no end in sight to the crisis, its president said Wednesday.

"Due to uncertainty about when this virus will end, we are preparing for work, activity and science," said President Hassan Rouhani.

"We have to follow all the medical instructions, but work and production are as essential as these precautions," he told a televised cabinet meeting.

Iran has struggled to contain the coronavirus outbreak since reporting its first cases -- two deaths in the Shiite holy city of Qom -- on February 19.

The actual numbers of those killed and sickened by the virus are widely thought to be much higher than the Iranian government's official tolls.