Iran, on Monday announced 43 novel coronavirus deaths over the past 24 hours, raising the total to 237.
The announcement comes as the Gulf countries take more precautionary measures to help curb the virus.
According to a Health Ministry spokesman, Iran’s number of officially recorded infections climbed to 7,161 an increase of 595 cases over the previous day.
The crisis continues to hit the capital, Tehran, the hardest.
More than 1,900 people have been infected in the city.
The spokesman said 2,394 people have recovered from the virus.
The official Saudi Press Agency reported that elsewhere in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia suspended flights to and from nine countries as a precautionary measure to control and curb the spread of the virus.
According to an official source with the Interior Ministry, the countries are the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, South Korea, and Italy.
The decision suspends the travel of citizens and residents to these countries and the entry of people coming from them or who have been there in the 14 days prior to their entry.
The kingdom, which has reported a total of 15 infections with the virus so far, also suspended sea trips to and from these countries.
Earlier, Saudi authorities said travelers from countries affected by the virus must show a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) certificate that proves they have tested negative.
Saudi Arabia also temporarily suspended study at schools, universities and other educational institutions.
Also in the Gulf, Qatar has suspended study at government and private schools and universities.
Qatar has reported 15 cases of coronavirus infection.
Kuwait has also recorded one new infection, bringing the total number to 65 in the Gulf state.
The United Arab Emirates’s Health Ministry on Monday detected 14 new cases, including four Emiratis, bringing the total number in the country to 59.
Egypt’s Health Ministry has raised the number of coronavirus infections to 55.
A 60-year old German man died in Egypt on Sunday, becoming the first fatality from the coronavirus in the country.
In Syria, the cabinet decided to suspend travel to and from Iraq and Jordan for one month as part of preventative measures against the virus.
The Health Ministry also said in Israel, the number of confirmed cases rose to 39 and in Lebanon, a total of 32 cases have been confirmed.
Israel’s health minister said the government was considering whether all travelers returning from abroad no matter from what destination must stay in home quarantine for 14 days.
(dpa/NAN)