Iran reports 21 new coronavirus deaths, raising total to 145

Iran on Saturday reported 21 new deaths from the novel coronavirus and 1,076 fresh cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the overall tolls to 145 dead and 5,823 infected.

"More than 16,000 people are currently hospitalised as suspect cases," health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said in a televised news conference as he announced the tolls.

He added that 1,669 of confirmed cases have recovered from the illness.