Iran announced on Friday that the new coronavirus has claimed another 85 lives, the highest single-day death toll in one of the world's worst affected countries, AFP reports.

“Sadly, 85 people infected with the COVID-19 disease have died in the past 24 hours,” bringing to 514 the overall number of deaths in Iran, health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said in a televised news conference.

“Across the country, at least 1,289 infected people have been added to the list of confirmed patients,” said Jahanpour.

“The total number of patients has therefore reached 11,364 cases,” he said, adding that Tehran province had the most new infections.

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