The spread of the novel coronavirus has accelerated again this month in Iran which has officially confirmed over 3,000 new cases for a third consecutive day.

The country has recorded an additional 3,134 cases, health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour told state television, bringing the total number of infections to 160,696. New cases were at their highest on March 30, hitting 3,186.

Another 70 people have died, Jahanpour added, taking the death toll to 8,012 since the outbreak was first declared in the country in February.