Iran's deputy health minister has been infected with the new coronavirus, a ministry official said on Tuesday, amid a major outbreak in the Islamic republic.

File photo: CGTN

"The coronavirus test for Mr Harirchi, the deputy health minister who was on the front lines combating the coronavirus, was positive," Alireza Vahabzadeh, a media adviser to the health minister, said in a tweet.

Iraj Harirchi coughed occasionally and appeared to be sweating during a press conference on Monday with government spokesman Ali Rabiei.