TEHRAN - The outbreak of coronavirus, officially named as COVID-19, in Iran has affected 245 people, Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education announced on Thursday.

Kianush Jahanpur, head of Public Relations and Information Center of Ministry of Health and Medical Education, said that among the infected people, 26 have died.

Jahanpur said that Iran has raised the number of the laboratories for testing the virus infection to seven centers and it will be increased to 22 in the following week.

Iran announced the first cases of viral infection in the central Qom city on Feb. 18.