IRAN’S deputy health minister has denied a claim of a cover-up over the new coronavirus disease, as the number of confirmed deaths there rose to 12.

A parliamentarian for Qom, the city at the center of Iran’s COVID-19 outbreak, accused the authorities of lying about the full extent of the problem.

Ahmad Amirabadi-Farahani said there had been 50 deaths in Qom alone.

That was rejected by the minister, who vowed to resign if it could be proven that even half that number had died.

“I categorically deny this information,” Iraj Harirchi told a news conference.

“This is not the time for political confrontations. The coronavirus is a national problem,” he added.

Government spokesman Ali Rabiei also insisted that officials would be transparent about reporting deaths associated with COVID-19, the infectious respiratory disease caused by the virus.

However, Mr Amirabadi-Farahani refused to retract his claim.

“I have given the names of 40 dead people to the deputy minister. Now, we await his resignation,” he was quoted as saying by Ilna news agency.

Asked about the apparent high mortality rate in Iran, Dr. Michael Ryan of the WHO Health Emergencies Program said: “We need to be very careful with the first wave of infections in any newly affected country. We may only be detecting severe cases, and the deaths will be over-represented.”(SD-Agencies)