Iran registers record COVID-19 deaths, imposes partial travel ban

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Iran recorded its highest number of COVID-19 deaths on Monday after health authorities confirmed 440 fatalities from the virus.

The country has now registered 35,738 deaths from 628,780 infections, making it the worst-affected in the Middle Eastern region.

In efforts to curb further spread of the virus, the Iranian government shut down schools mosques, shops and restaurants in early October.

On Monday the government also imposed a four-day ban on travel in and out of 25 cities, including Tehran, state TV reported.

Reuters reports the head of Iran's non-governmental Medical Council, Mohammadreza Zafarghandi, to hint at even higher tallies in Iran's COVID-19 status.

"The official death toll is only based on the number of registered patients," said Zafarghandi. "Through field surveys in hospitals and cemeteries, our council has obtained a figure at least three times higher than the official death toll."