Iranian Vice President tests positive for coronavirus

Masoumeh Ebtekar showed signs of infection with coronavirus and was tested positive. Iran has reported 26 deaths from novel coronavirus -- the highest outside China, from where the virus originated.

Tehran: Iranian Vice President Masoumeh Ebtekar has been tested positive for novel coronavirus, state media reported on Thursday.

Citing a report by a state news agency, Sputnik quoted the advisor to Iranian Vice President as saying, "Ebtekar showed signs of infection with coronavirus and was tested. The results came back positive."

Iran has reported 26 deaths from novel coronavirus -- the highest outside China, from where the virus originated, as per a report by the IRNA.

The country on Thursday reported 106 new cases, bringing the total number of those infected by the deadly virus to 245.

Schools, universities, and other education centres have been temporarily shut down to prevent the spread of the virus.

Coronavirus first originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan and has since then killed more than 2700 people in that country alone, while cases have been reported in several countries across the world, including India.

With inputs from ANI