TEHRAN 

Iran on Sunday confirmed 163 more fatalities from coronavirus, the largest daily spike in the country since the outbreak, caused by the novel coronavirus, bringing the nationwide death toll to 11,571.

A further of 2,560 people tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, raising the overall count to 240,438, Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said.

She added that 3,168 patients remain in critical condition in the country.

Since first appearing in China last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 188 countries and regions. The US, Brazil and Russia are currently the countries hardest hit in the world.

The pandemic has killed more than 531,000 people worldwide, with infections surpassing 11.2 million and recoveries over 6 million, according to figures compiled by the US' Johns Hopkins University.

*Writing by Burak Bir