Two Iranians diagnosed with coronavirus in Iran’s holy Shiite city of Qom died hours after the official announced that their tests were positive.
The two reportedly died in hospital, the head of the city's University of Medical Sciences told Mehr news agency on Wednesday.
"Two Iranians, who tested positive earlier today for new coronavirus, died of respiratory illness," the official told the agency.
Iran's health ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur has also confirmed their death on Twitter.The health ministry said earlier that the patients had been put in isolation.
The death toll from the new coronavirus in mainland China reported above 2,000 on Wednesday.
