Hossein Kermanpour, head of the ministry’s public relations center, said on the sidelines of a communications conference that the strain has been spreading rapidly since mid-November, prompting nationwide alerts for medical facilities.
Health authorities had not expected the surge to reach current levels, he noted, but the volume of recent patient visits has increased pressure on hospitals across the country.
Most of those who have died had not received the seasonal flu vaccine, Kermanpour added.
The ministry forecasts that the peak of the outbreak will likely continue until mid-January before declining.
Schools are playing a significant role in transmission, officials said, renewing calls for strict adherence to hygiene and prevention guidelines.
Kermanpour stressed that influenza vaccines must be supplied and administered in a timely manner due to their limited shelf life.