Iran is considering making it mandatory within days to wear masks in public places and covered spaces, President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday, as the tally of confirmed coronavirus cases continued to rise above 200,000. Daily death rates for most of this week have exceeded 100 for the first time in two months, an uptick blamed by officials on the lack of social distancing and low use of face masks. The Health Ministry on Saturday announced 115 deaths in the previous 24 hours, taking the total to 9,507.
