Tehran, Aug 2 (IANS): The number of COVID-19 cases confirmed in Iran rose to 306,752 after 2,548 new cases were registered in the last 24 hours, state TV reported.

In her daily briefing, Sima Sadat Lari, spokeswoman for Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education, said out of the new cases, 1,067 have been hospitalized, Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday.

The pandemic has so far claimed the lives of 16,982 Iranians, up by 216 in the past 24 hours, she said.

So far, 265,830 infected have recovered and been discharged from hospitals in Iran, while 4,011 remain in critical condition.

Currently, 15 out of 31 Iranian provinces are at high risk or in the alert situation, she said.

Iran announced its first cases of COVID-19 on February 19.

Iran and China have offered mutual help in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

In mid-February, at the early stage of the coronavirus outbreak in China, Iran lit up the Tehran Azadi (Liberty) Tower to show its solidarity with China and donated 3 million masks to China.

In return, China has delivered several shipments of medical supplies to Iran. On February 29, a five-member Chinese medical team visited Iran for a month-long mission to help Iran fight the pandemic.