TEHRAN 

Iran on Thursday confirmed 59 more fatalities from coronavirus, bringing the nationwide death toll to 8,071.

A further 3,574 people tested positive for the virus over the past 24 hours, raising the overall count to 164,270, Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said.

Thursday's daily figures of infections have quadrupled from last month's average.

The country's daily number of virus-related cases decreased to 800s in early May, but daily figures show an upward trend in recent days after authorities took measures to ease restrictions.

Jahanpour said 127,485 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals so far, while 2,569 patients remain in critical condition.

Over 1 million tests have been conducted in the country so far, according to the ministry.

Despite the rising number of cases, government employees have resumed work, and mosques reopened across the Middle Eastern country.

Shopping malls are now open beyond 6 p.m. (1330GMT).

* Writing by Zehra Nur Duz