Official COVID-19 Death Toll Increases, Khuzestan in Red Alert, Khorasan and Lorestan in Warning Status
Iran’s Health Ministry spokesperson reported in his daily coronavirus statistics on Thursday, May 15th, that 1,808 more people have contracted the coronavirus, and announced that the death toll in the past 24 hours has reached 71 people, showing an approximately 20 percent increase compared to previous days.
Based on statistics presented by Kianush Jahanbpur, Health Ministry spokesperson, “according to this ministry’s diagnostic criteria,” the total number of infected cases has exceeded 114,533 people, and the death toll has reached 6,854 people.
According to this report, so far 90,539 people have been discharged from treatment centers, but at least 2,758 patients remain in critical condition and under intensive care.
The Health Ministry spokesperson also stated that Khuzestan province remains in a red alert status, saying that North Khorasan province may also be in a warning status and “if this trend continues, North Khorasan will require more serious interventions.”
It was announced yesterday that one-quarter of newly identified cases belong to Khuzestan province, and over the past month the number of cases in this province has grown by “300 percent.”
Previously, some parliamentary representatives and members of Tehran’s city council accused the Health Ministry of concealing statistics about coronavirus deaths and cases.
Also, statistics released by Tehran city council members regarding the approximate number of deaths “in Tehran” match the statistics that the Health Ministry announces about deaths “in the entire country.”
In another report, today the governor of Khorramabad also announced the declaration of red alert status in some cities of Lorestan province, citing the increase in coronavirus cases in the province.
Jaafar Toulabi, governor of Khorramabad, also said that based on a decision by the provincial coronavirus response headquarters, governors have been given the authority to impose restrictions proportionate to their cities’ situations.
The Health Ministry spokesperson emphasized in today’s report that the publication of reports showing stability and gradual decline in cases in provinces “by no means indicates a return to normal conditions.”
Source: Radio Farda
