50 people have died from Covid-19 in the Iranian city of Qom in February 2020, according to a report by Iranian news agency ILNA on Monday (Feb. 24).

This is in stark contrast to earlier reports given by Iranian officials earlier in the day, which reported eight deaths.

The previous death toll reported in Iran was eight, almost a fifth of the total number of confirmed cases, which stands at 43.

The dates provided do not add up

An official from Qom, Ahmad Amirabadi Farahani, was quoted in ILNA saying that more than 250 people are quarantined in the city.

According to Associated Press, the same official also said that the 50 deaths date back as far as Feb. 13.

However, this is in contrast with the first officially reported cases of the virus and its first deaths, on Feb. 19.

On Feb. 19, a spokesperson for Iran's Health Ministry stated that the country's first two cases of Covid-19 have died due to old age and deficient immune systems.

He also said that both of them had suffered "acute lung infections" as a result of Covid-19.

The number of deaths compared to the number of confirmed infections from the virus is higher in Iran than in any other country, including China and South Korea, where the outbreak is more widespread.

Neighbouring countries have closed their borders with Iran

According to Associated Press, authorities in Iran have closed schools across much of the country for a second day, as neighbouring countries reported infections from travelers from Iran.

Al Jazeera reported that Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Armenia have closed their borders with Iran on Sunday (Feb. 23), after officials in Tehran reported three new deaths and 15 new cases in one day.

It was also reported that the authorities were not prepared to deal with the crisis, as there was a lack of equipment at hospitals.

According to the same report, health officials in Qom only conducted diagnosis tests for the virus after deaths have occured.

Top image from Wikipedia.