The death toll from alcohol poisoning in Iran has risen to 44 after locals tried to ward of deadly coronavirus with bootleg booze.
The killer bug has infected more than 8,000 and killed 291 in Iran, making it one of the deadliest outbreaks outside of China.
Many took to 'bootleg alcohol' over the misguided belief that it would cure the rapidly spreading disease.
The highest poisoning toll struck in the southwestern province of Khuzestan, where it grew by 16 to reach 36.
Victims had 'drank bootleg alcohol over rumours that it would be effective in treating coronavirus and were poisoned', state media reported.
The poisoning toll in Khuzestan is higher than its 18 direct deaths from coronavirus, news agency IRNA said.
Seven more people have died from bootleg alcohol in the northern region of Alborz and one in Kermanshah, western Iran.
Alcohol is banned in Iran for everyone except some non-Muslim minorities but local media regularly report on lethal cases of poisoning from bootleg liquor.
Iran has scrambled to try to contain the spread of coronavirus which has hit all of its 31 provinces.
On Thursday, Iranian authorities warned they may use 'force' to limit travel between cities in the hope of containing the virus.
Speaking at a news conference, health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour did not elaborate on the threat to use force, but acknowledged the virus now was in all of Iran's provinces.
The threat may be to stop people from using closed schools and universities as an excuse to go to the Caspian Sea and other Iranian vacation spots.
And in another sign coronavirus is spreading within state institutions, it was announced that female lawmaker Fatemah Rahbar, an MP, had died.
Her death came after the reported death of Mohammad Mirmohammadi, a member of the Expediency Council.
The council exists to resolve disputes between parliament and the Guardian Council, a governmental body that vets electoral candidates among other duties.
Iran's deputy health minister, Iraj Harirchi, and another member of parliament, Mahmoud Sadeghi, also said they have contracted the virus.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
