MNA � The Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei hailed the efforts and services of the Iranian health ministry, doctors, nurses and medical staff in combat to beat the outbreak of coronavirus.

In a meeting with head of Iranian Academy of Medical Sciences, Alireza Marandi on Thursday, the Leader said, "I express gratitude to the doctors, nurses and the medical staff as well as the health ministry and the minister, for their efforts in fight against the outbreak of the virus."

He hoped that the virus will be controlled and defeated in near future.

According to the latest reports, coronavirus has caused 2,800 deaths, while 80,000 people have been diagnosed with the illness across the globe, by the present time.

The coronavirus is spreading in the Middle East, Europe and other parts of the world, as Brazil confirmed its first case in Latin America, while parts of China begin to lower their emergency response level as the number of new cases reported there continues to slow.