Tehran’s Coronavirus Response Official: Controlling and Reducing Coronavirus is a ‘False Message’ to the Public
With the resumption of business and government operations in Tehran, the number of coronavirus cases has increased. The official in charge of coronavirus response in Tehran reported a 1.5 percent growth in coronavirus cases and described controlling and reducing coronavirus as a “false” message.
Alirezā Zāli, head of Tehran’s coronavirus response headquarters, said that news of declining coronavirus figures in some cities does not mean the coronavirus disease has been eradicated. Zāli warned that controlling or reducing the burden of COVID-19 disease is a false message that has reached the public.
The rector of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran expressed concern about inter-provincial travel, unnecessary and recreational movements across the city, and increased travel, stating that we will face an increased disease burden.
Zāli described coronavirus as “deceptive and dangerous” and reported a 1.5 percent increase in the number of cases in Tehran.
According to this official, 313 new cases of coronavirus have been hospitalized in regular wards and 86 people in special wards in Tehran.
The head of coronavirus management operations in Tehran had previously criticized coronavirus being taken lightly by executive officials and the public. Zāli’s criticism intensified, particularly after Rouhani’s opposition to quarantine in the country.
Hassan Rouhani, the president, has opposed implementing any quarantine measures. Rouhani said: “We have nothing called quarantine. The claims circulating that in Tehran or some cities some stores and certain businesses are quarantined are completely false.”
In Tehran, stores and government offices resumed operations from the 30th of Farvardin, and in other cities from the 23rd of Farvardin.
Ali Maher, deputy head of the coronavirus response command headquarters in Tehran, criticized this action in an interview with Iran newspaper and said: “If strict measures are not continued, we will face a disease outbreak, and our capabilities do not allow us to provide services beyond this to the people.”
Hassan Rouhani announced earlier this week that, at the request of the Qom seminary and due to the beginning of the month of Ramadan, religious sites and pilgrimage centers will reopen from the 15th of Ordibehesht. It had previously been announced that these sites would remain closed until the end of Ordibehesht.
Rouhani’s statements about reopening religious sites and schools have drawn considerable criticism. The head of the Iranian Medical Association in a letter asked Hassan Rouhani not to rush in reopening religious sites, schools, and universities, and to ensure that decision-making is “independent and scientific” with priority given to public health.
Dr. Mohammad Reza Ghandi, head of the Iranian Medical Association, warned that this unnecessary reopening, in addition to spreading the disease, will result in wasting previous efforts and exhausting the country’s medical staff.
Latest Coronavirus Statistics in Iran: 87,000 Cases and 5,481 Deaths
Kianoosh Jahanpour, head of the Public Relations and Information Center of the Ministry of Health of the Islamic Republic of Iran announced the latest official statistics regarding coronavirus cases in Iran on Thursday afternoon, the 4th of Ordibehesht.
According to him, 87,026 cases of the new coronavirus have been definitively identified in Iran so far, and with the death of 90 more people in the past 24 hours, the number of victims of COVID-19 in Iran has reached 5,481 people.
Jahanpour also stated that 64,843 patients have recovered and been discharged so far. However, the condition of 3,105 of the infected is still critical and they are under observation.
Source: DW
