Iran’s Vice President of Iran for Women and Family Affairs Masoumeh Ebtekar has tested positive for the Corona virus. The Friday prayers in Tehran and elsewhere in the Islamic Republic have been cancelled over the outbreak of Novel Corona virus, news agencies reported today.

The news came as Iran drastically increased the number of confirmed cases of the virus by over 100 to 254, with 26 deaths. Iran has been the epicentre of the outbreak in the Mideast and many cases in the region have traced back to the Islamic Republic.

Saudi Arabia today banned foreign pilgrims from entering the kingdom to visit Islam’s holiest sites over the Corona virus, potentially disrupting the plans of millions of faithful ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and as the annual Hajj pilgrimage looms.