Iranian official urges people to stay home for Nowruz

ANKARA

Iran called people to spend Nowruz, the country's new year ceremony, in their homes this year amid mounting losses due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister Abbas Salehi implored people to take the precaution in order to prevent a "national disaster" due to the spreading virus.

Citing official data, Salehi said 66% of the country's population went on vacation during the Nowruz holiday last year.

There will be a national disaster in the country if even half of this figure travels this spring, he said, adding: "Let's stay at home."

Iranian Health Minister Saeed Namaki asked people last week not to go on holiday as schools have been closed until March 20 amid additional health measures.

The death toll from the novel coronavirus outbreak in Iran has risen to 514, state TV reported on Friday.

Authorities said 85 people had died over the last 24 hours, while 1,289 new cases emerged, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 11,364, Iran's state TV quoted Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour as saying.

Turkey, which has only two confirmed cases of coronavirus, closed its land borders and suspended air travel to Iran last month.

Besides China, Italy and South Korea, Iran is among the worst-affected countries since the outbreak of the disease last December.

As part of its efforts to contain the virus, Tehran has taken several measures including the closure of all schools and higher learning institutions, calling off sports events and banning government officials from leaving the country.

After emerging in China last December, the novel coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, has spread to 123 countries and territories.

The global death toll is now around 4,950, with more than 132,500 confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which has declared the outbreak a global pandemic.

* Writing by Zehra Nur Duz