ANKARA

Iranian people infected by coronavirus but who do not implement the measures to stem the spread of the pandemic will be punished, according to judicial sources.

“Those infected by coronavirus but try to hide it, do not quarantine themselves or do not visit medical centers to get treatment and continue their presence and activities in society will be jailed for at least one year,” Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency quoted Reza Masoudifar, a high-ranking official from Iranian judiciary, as saying.

Masoudifar stressed that any threat to public health is a “crime”.

The current death toll from coronavirus in Iran is 853, and the number of cases is 14,991.

The virus known as COVID-19 emerged in Wuhan, China last December, and has spread to at least 146 countries and territories. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic.

Out of over 183,500 confirmed cases, the death toll now exceeds 7,100, while more than 79,900 have recovered, according to Worldometer, a website that compiles new case numbers.

The current number of active cases is more than 96,500, with 94% in mild condition and 6% in critical condition.