Corona in Iran; ICU Beds Filling Up in Tehran and Warnings of Continued Upward Trend in Coming Weeks

Health Ministry statistics show that from March 20 to March 21, 25,492 new coronavirus patients were identified, and in 24 hours, 395 patients lost their lives.

Many doubt the accuracy of official statistics, and even the Research Center of the Islamic Consultative Assembly announced that the actual figures for infections and deaths are several times higher than official numbers. Iran’s Medical System Organization also, based on field investigations, predicted that the actual death toll is at least three times the announced figures.

ICU Bed Capacity Filled in Tehran

Alireza Zali, commander of Tehran’s coronavirus response headquarters, announced a new record for the number of hospitalizations in the capital, saying the figure has reached 7,400 people. Mr. Zali stated that even during the worst days of November of last year, the total number of hospitalizations had not reached this level.

Nader Tavakkoli, deputy treatment of Tehran Province’s coronavirus headquarters, also announced that all ICU beds in Tehran are full, and said that since outpatient visits have doubled, we will witness an increase in the number of hospitalizations in the coming weeks.

In Tehran, according to the chairman of the Health Committee of the City Council, the mortality rate has increased sixfold.

Reza Karami Mohammadi, head of the Prevention and Crisis Management Organization of Tehran Municipality, warned of the possibility of morgue capacity being filled in the coming weeks, saying: “It is possible that when the number of deaths increases, they will not be able to conduct burials on the same day and it will be postponed to the next day.”

Disagreement Over Coronavirus Control Policies

Since the beginning of the “fourth wave” of coronavirus in Iran, Iranian Islamic Republic authorities have attributed the main cause of the fourth wave to people’s non-compliance with protocols, but many believe that the lack of timely restrictions and the slow pace of vaccination have worsened the country’s situation.

Meanwhile, internal disagreements over how to control coronavirus continue.

While most Iranian cities are in red status, subways and buses remain crowded, and officials have still not reached an agreement on canceling the traffic plan.

Meanwhile, the secretary of the National Coronavirus Response Headquarters said that compliance with health protocols has reached an average of 55 percent across the country.

Babak Deinpardest said 21,000 people definitively violated quarantine. He said the National Coronavirus Response Headquarters will announce the mechanism for legal action in this matter.

Import of 6 Million Vaccine Doses by Private Sector

Heydar Mohammadi, director general of drug affairs and controlled substances at Iran’s Food and Drug Organization of the Ministry of Health, announced the issuance of vaccine import permits for three companies from the private sector.

Masoud Khansari, chairman of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, also announced that the private sector has successfully finalized a contract to import 6 million doses of vaccine.

So far, 520,000 doses of Russian Sputnik V, 650,000 doses of Chinese vaccine, 700,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, and 125,000 doses of Indian Bharat vaccine have been imported into Iran.

Health Ministry statistics show that 621,822 doses of vaccine have been administered in the country.

Source: Voice of America