Iran Frees 54,000 Prisoners To Avoid Spread Of Coronavirus In Jails

The Iranian government has temporarily released 54,000 people from prisons to avoid the spread of coronavirus after the country's death toll exceeded Italy's with 92 dead on Wednesday.

They also announced total infections rose to 2,922 and also confirmed that the country's First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri was the latest high-profile figure to contract the disease.

Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili told reporters that 54,000 inmates o were allowed out of prison after testing negative for Covid-19 and posting bail. "Security prisoners" sentenced to more than five years will not be let out.

The ministry is also activating a nationwide team of 300,000 health workers and specialists, Deputy Health Minister Ali Reza Reisy told Iran's semi-official ILNA news agency.

The coronavirus which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan has now spread to all continents, except for Antarctica, killing more than 3,000 people and infecting more than 90,000 worldwide.