Iran Saturday dismissed as “rumours” a report that coronavirus has killed more than 200 people in the country, one of the hardest hit by the disease, with senior officials among those infected. Since it announced its first coronavirus deaths, Iran has scrambled to bring the outbreak under control, shutting schools, suspending cultural and sporting events and halting meetings of the cabinet and parliament. It was the highest number of new cases for a single day since Iran announced its first two deaths in Qom, a centre for Islamic studies and pilgrims from abroad, on February 19.