Coronavirus: Iran reports record one-day death toll

The number of new daily infections and deaths increased as movement restrictions were eased

An Iranian sanitary worker disinfects Qom's Masumeh shrine on February 25, 2020 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. AFP

Iranian Firefighters disinfect streets in the capital Tehran in a bid to halt the wild spread of coronavirus on March 13, 2020. AFP

A nearly empty Hazrat Masumeh Shrine in Qom, Iran on March 1, 2020. AFP

Iranian Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi (left) wipes the sweat off his face, during a press conference with the Islamic republic's government spokesman Ali Rabiei in the capital Tehran on February 24, 2020. AFP

An image grab of footage obtained from Iranian State TV IRINN on February 25, 2020, shows Iran's deputy health minister Iraj Harirchi speaking in a video apparently shot by himself, regarding being infected with coronavirus. AFP

Iran's Azadi (Freedom) Tower is lit up with flags and messages of hope in solidarity with all the countries affected by the coronavirus pandemic, in Tehran on March 31, 2020. AFP

Iranian workers set up a makeshift hospital inside the Iran Mall, northwest of Tehran, on March 21, 2020 amid the coronavirus outbreak. - Iran said that 123 more people had died from coronavirus, raising the official death toll to 1,556 in the Islamic republic, one of the world's worst affected countries. AFP

Volunteers wearing protective clothing, take part in disinfecting a village during the coronavirus outbreak, in the outskirts of the city of Ghaemshahr, in north of Iran, on Wednesday, April 29, 2020. AP Photo

Shoppers clad in protective gear, including face masks and shields and latex gloves, due to the coronavirus pandemic, walk through the Tajrish Bazaar in Iran's capital Tehran on April 25, 2020. AFP

A customer wears a protective masks at a pharmacy in the Iranian capital Tehran on February 24, 2020. AFP

A Tehran Municipality worker cleans a bus to avoid the spread of Covid-19 on February 26, 2020. AFP

A man stands by the closed gate outside the Imamzadeh Saleh in the Iranian capital Tehran's Shemiran district on April 25, 2020 . AFP

Labourers unloading medical equipment and coronavirus testing kits provided by the World Health Organisation, from a UAE military transport plane upon their arrival at Mehrabad International Airport in Iran's capital Tehran. AFP

Iran has recorded its highest number of deaths from Covid-19 within a 24-hour period, according to the health ministry.

The 200 deaths reported on Tuesday exceeded Sunday's figure, when the ministry reported 163 fatalities.

The Islamic republic recorded 11,931 deaths and 245,688 infections from coronavirus so far, ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said on state television.

The number of new daily infections and deaths has increased sharply in the past week following a gradual easing of restrictions that started in April.

Iran was one of the hardest-hit countries early in the pandemic, when the highest number of deaths recorded in the space of a day was 158 on April 4.

On Saturday, President Hassan Rouhani introduced measures to try to curb the renewed spread. Iranians who do not wear masks will be denied state services, and workplaces that fail to comply with health protocols will be shut for a week, he said.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei publicised an image of himself in a mask last week, urging both public officials and the country's 80 million people to wear them to help contain the virus.

But public opinion polling and a walk through the streets of Tehran showed the widespread apathy felt about the pandemic. In February, Iran became one of the first countries struck by the outbreak after China.