Iran reports 85 new virus deaths, taking total to 514

A women wearing facemasks in Italy amid COVID-19 outbreak (AFP Photo)

Iran announced Friday that the new coronavirus has claimed another 85 lives, the highest single-day death toll in one of the world's worst-affected countries.

"Sadly, 85 people infected with the COVID-19 disease have died in the past 24 hours", bringing to 514 the overall number of deaths in Iran, health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said in a televised news conference.