Iran reports 22 dead from among 141 cases of new coronavirus

Iran's state-run IRNA news agency on Thursday reported that there are 22 people dead amid 141 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in the Islamic Republic.

A graphic published on Thursday by the agency shows that the virus has spread to 20 of Iran's 31 provinces.

The hardest-hit among them remained the province home to the holy Shiite city of Qom, with 63 confirmed cases.

Experts fear Iran is under-reporting the number of cases of the new virus as cases across the wider Persian Gulf have emerged in recent days linked back to the Islamic Republic.