(File photo: social media)

TEHRAN, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Iran's confirmed novel coronavirus cases rose to 347,835 on Tuesday after an overnight registration of 2,385 new infections, official IRNA new agency reported.

Sima Sadat Lari, the spokeswoman for Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education, said at her daily briefing that out of the new cases in the past 24 hours, 1,066 have been hospitalized.

The pandemic has so far claimed the lives of 19,972 Iranians, up by 168 in the past 24 hours.

Besides, 300,881 have recovered and been discharged from hospitals while 3,882 remain in critical condition.

According to Lari, 2,914,049 lab tests for COVID-19 have been carried out in Iran as of Sunday.

The Iranian health official said that 15 provinces are in high-risk condition.

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

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