Iran death toll rises as Switzerland reports first coronavirus case
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Iran had reported the first two deaths due to the virus in Qom last week with the country's deputy health minister Iraj Harirchi admitting he too was infected
Switzerland reported its first case of new coronavirus on Tuesday as the death toll in Iran rose to 15 with nearly hundred infected in the country.
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As the virus spread in Iran, The United Arab Emirates halted all passenger and cargo flights to and from Iran.
Iran had reported the first two deaths due to the virus in Qom last week with the country's deputy health minister Iraj Harirchi admitting he too was infected.
Iran has shut schools, universities and cultural centres until the end of the week due to the virus as the United States expressed concern that Iran may have "suppressed vital details" about the outbreak.
"All nations including Iran should tell the truth about the coronavirus and cooperate with international aid organisations," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said.
Meanwhile, Switzerland's federal health office confirmed first case of coronavirus in the country.
The case was found in the Italian-speaking Ticino canton on the border with Italy.
The head of a joint WHO-China mission of experts said that the world is "simply not ready" to rein in the new coronavirus outbreak.
"You have to be ready to manage this at a larger scale... and it has to be done fast," Bruce Aylward told reporters in Geneva.