Daily Sabah - The Health Ministry announced Tuesday that a large haul of medical equipment had been dispatched to Iran in order to help the country confront the worrying numbers of coronavirus cases.

The aid, part of an earlier deal signed between two neighboring countries, saw the delivery of 1,000 virus diagnosis kits, 4,715 items of protective clothes, 20,000 surgical gowns, 2,004 goggles, 4,000 N95 masks and 78,000 three-layer masks.

Iran's death toll from the coronavirus has reached 853, with 14,991 confirmed cases across the country, one of the worst national outbreaks outside China, where the new virus originated.

Turkey has closed its borders with Iran and suspended flights shortly after the first cases emerged there. Turkey earlier sent medical equipment to China. At least 26 countries also sought Turkish expertise and Turkey�s locally developed test kits, authorities have said.