Iran's COVID-19 cases hit four-month high after holidays

Iran reported a four-month high in daily COVID-19 infections on Monday as Tehran was declared to be at the highest virus risk level, with authorities blaming increased travel.

The Islamic republic is battling the Middle East's deadliest coronavirus outbreak, and case numbers have risen following a surge in trips during the Iranian new year holidays that started on March 18.

In the past 24 hours, 13,890 new coronavirus cases were recorded, health ministry spokesperson Sima Sadat Lari said in televised remarks.

It is the highest number of daily infections since Dec. 4, and close to the peak of 14,051 positive cases recorded on Nov. 28.

The newly reported cases brought the total number of infections to over 1.94 million, according to Lari.

Tehran, with a population of over 8 million, is now classified as "red" on the country's COVID-19 risk scale.

Only essential services, such as food providers and health centres, remain open.

Most major cities in the western half of Iran such as Isfahan, Shiraz and Karaj are listed as red as well, Daily Sabah reported.