Death toll from coronavirus rises to 8 in Iran

Iran confirmed death toll from the new coronavirus rose to eight, the highest outside China. The rising death toll sent neighbouring countries scrambling to contain the outbreak. Pakistan has said that it is closing its frontier with the Islamic republic, while Afghanistan banned all ground and air travel between the two nations.

Jordan has also barred entry of citizens of China, Iran and South Korea and other foreigners travelling from those countries. Italy has reported third death from the coronavirus. With 152 cases, the numbers of infections are rising rapidly and have forced it  to



check the spread of the disease.

Italy has also called off the Venice Carnival attended by thousands of revelers, scrapping major league soccer matches in the stricken area and shuttering theatres. Concerns are rising across Europe. 

Austria has halted all train traffic to and from Italy following fears that a train last night had two people on board who may have been infected with the COVID-19 virus. The region has seen the number of infected people in the country soar to at least 152, the most outside Asia.