FNA - Iran's Judiciary Spokesman Gholamhossein Esmayeeli announced that his country has authorized temporary leaves for more than 100,000 prisoners, to prevent the outbreak of the new coronavirus in jails across the country.

“Over 100,000 inmates have been furloughed in different periods since the outbreak of coronavirus (in Iran) so that they and their family members will not have any concerns,” Esmayeeli said told the state TV on Wednesday.

He added that at present 60,000 prisoners have been furloughed, noting that many of those who have used this possibility have been freed or their prison terms have been commuted after the Supreme Leader’s clemency on the occasion of different Islamic Eids.

The Iranian health ministry announced on Tuesday that 2,751 new cases of COVID-19 virus infection have been identified in the country during the past 24 hours, adding that 212 patients have passed away in this period.

“2,751 new patients infected with COVID-19 have been identified in the country based on confirmed diagnosis test results during the past 24 hours and 1,560 patients have been hospitalized,” Iranian Health Ministry Spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said on Tuesday.

She added that the total number of the COVID-19 patients reached 314,786.

“Unfortunately, 212 patients have passed away in the past 24 hours, increasing the number of the dead to 17,617, and 4,132 patients are in critical conditions,” the spokeswoman added.

Sadat Lari expressed pleasure that 272,535 cases infected with coronavirus have recovered or been discharged from hospitals.

The ministry spokeswoman also noted that 2,560,374 coronavirus tests have been conducted across the country so far.

She warned that 26 provinces are still in red condition or status of alert.