Tasnim � Iranian Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi warned against the rise of dangerous counterfeit drugs across the country as so far no safe and efficacious vaccines have been developed against the viral infection in the world.

Fake medicines and supplies are flooding our provinces amid the COVID-19 crisis, Harirchi warned on Friday.

He added that these pharmaceuticals that are being distributed in bulk are fake and cannot effectively affect the treatment procedure.

Iranian Health Ministry Spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari on Friday put the total number of coronavirus cases in the country at 286,523.

�With 215 new deaths in the past 24 hours, the death toll from the virus has reached 15,089. Unfortunately, we have had 2,489 new cases since yesterday,� Lari said on state TV.

She also said so far 249,212 patients have recovered from the viral infection.

The coronavirus outbreak has infected over 15.6 million people around the world. The global death toll from the pandemic is now more than 637,197.