By MARTINS IFIJEH

A Member of Parliament in Iran, Mohammad Ali Ramazani Dastak, has died of Coronavirus disease.

Iranian State TV reports Saturday that the MP who tested positive to the virus few days ago was recently elected as the representative for Astana Ashrafieh.

“He died on Saturday morning after being taken to hospital for treatment,” the station reports.

Meanwhile, deaths in Iran from coronavirus have hit 43, the highest number outside China, and the total number of infected people has risen to 593, an Iranian health official said on Saturday.

As several countries in the Middle East reported cases of the coronavirus stemming from Iran, the country is at the epicentre of the outbreak in the region.

“Unfortunately nine people died of the virus in the last 24 hours, increasing the death toll to 43 … the total number of infected people is 593,” Health Ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur told state TV, calling on people to stay at home. (THISDAY)