Iran’s Health Ministry spokesman urged Iranians to take social distancing "more seriously" on Friday as he announced more than 1,500 new coronavirus cases in the country.
Kianoush Jahanpour said 55 new virus fatalities in the past 24 hours took the overall death toll in the health crisis to 6,541.
He said another 1,556 people tested positive for the novel coronavirus over the same period of time, taking the country's caseload to 104,691.
"We (Iranians) are urged to continue to follow health advice, especially social distancing, more seriously than on previous days and weeks," Jahanpour said in televised remarks.
Since reporting its first cases in mid-February, Iran has struggled to contain the spread of the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease.
On Saturday, the government's official tally of daily infections hit 802 -- its lowest level since the start of March.
Iran's count stayed below 1,000 for a second day, however its caseload rebounded on Monday and has stayed above that mark on each day since then.
Since April 11, Iran has allowed a gradual reopening of shops and, since Monday, mosques in about 30 percent of the counties where the risk of renewed outbreaks is considered low.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency said Friday prayers are resuming in mosques in 146 cities with minimal risk conditions for spreading the coronavirus.
The report said prayer gatherings will continue to be banned in major cities, including all provincial capitals, for now.
In order to contain the spread of the disease, Iran has taken various restrictive measures, without ever imposing a lockdown or quarantine.
