TEHRAN

Iran quarantined two holiday destinations on Thursday as part of its efforts to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

The cities of Mazandaran and Gilan were closed for tourists to curb the COVID-19 outbreak, according to the semi-official ISNA news agency.

The death toll in Iran from the virus has climbed to 107.

Iranian Health Minister Saeed Namaki asked people not to go on holiday at a time when schools have been closed until March 20 as an additional health measure.

COVID-19 emerged in Wuhan, China, last December and has now spread to over 80 countries.

The global death toll is over 3,200, with more than 95,000 confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesushas has called on the world to take coronavirus seriously as "we can only save lives together".