TEHRAN, May 02 (MNA) – According to the Iranian Health Ministry, 18,698 new COVID-19 infections have been detected across the country in the past 24 hours.Sima Lari, the spokeswoman of the ministry, announced the new record figure, adding that 2,711 of those newly-detected patients have been hospitalized.

The total number of COVID cases in the country is standing at 2,534,855 she added.

The outbreak has claimed the lives of 394 people since Saturday, bringing the death toll to 72,484.

More than 1.98 million patients have recovered while some 5,443 others are experiencing critical conditions, she added.

According to the Iranian ministry, more than 950,000 people have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine so far while the total vaccine jabs have hit 1,175,054.

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