UK to Evacuate Diplomats' Family Members From Embassy in Iran Due to COVID-19

LONDON (Sputnik) - Family members of diplomats, as well as some staff of the UK embassy in Tehran will be evacuated amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Iran, the UK Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

"As of 1 March, dependants and some staff from the British Embassy are being withdrawn from Iran due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Essential staff needed to continue critical work will remain. In the event that the situation deteriorates further, the ability of the British Embassy to provide assistance to British nationals from within Iran may be limited," the ministry said.

Iran is among the countries that are most affected by the novel coronavirus outbreak with over 900 confirmed cases and 54 deaths as of Sunday.

The novel coronavirus was first detected in China in late December and has since spread to more than 50 countries, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a global health emergency. So far, the virus infected more than 87,000 people worldwide, while over 2,950 people died and over 40,000 have recovered.