Iranian minister tests positive for coronavirus

ANKARA

An Iranian deputy minister and lawmaker have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Both of them took to Twitter to break the news Tuesday.

"The results of the tests were announced a few minutes ago. I got coronavirus too," Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi said in a tweet, a day after he was quarantined.

He said he was in high spirits and determined to defeat the virus.

Mahmoud Sadeghi, an outspoken lawmaker, said in a tweet: “My COVID-19 test was positive. I convey this message when I have little hope for life in this world."

The death toll in Iran from the coronavirus outbreak has risen to 14, with 95 confirmed cases.

Iran's neighbors have closed their borders to the country amid mounting concerns over the spread of the virus.

The coronavirus has sounded global alarm, with China reporting 2,665 deaths on Tuesday and more than 77,600 confirmed cases.

Outside mainland China, the coronavirus has spread to more than 30 other countries including the U.S., the U.K., Singapore, France, Russia, Spain and India.

The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak an international health emergency.

* Writing by Fahri Aksut and Havva Kara Aydin