1,934 Deaths from Corona and Contradictory Statements from Officials

While Iran’s Health Ministry spokesperson says the number of infected and death toll from patients exceeds previous estimates and requires a new rewriting of scenarios, Hassan Rouhani reports a decrease in “hospital admissions”.

Hassan Rouhani, Iran’s president, told IRNA news agency on Tuesday, the 5th of Farvardin (March 24), that in a meeting of the “National Coronavirus Management and Response Headquarters,” it was reported that “hospital admissions in provinces have decreased and the death toll has also shown a declining trend.”

This is while ILNA news agency reported on the same day, quoting Kianush Jahanpour, the Health Ministry spokesperson, that “the number of infected and death toll from patients exceeds previous estimates and a new rewriting of scenarios is necessary.” Regarding the latest coronavirus statistics in Iran, based on findings from 56 laboratories approved by the ministry, he stated: “From yesterday afternoon to today, there have been 1,762 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and in total there are 24,811 patients with confirmed coronavirus infection.”

Based on statistics released by the news agency, 34 days after the outbreak of coronavirus in Iran, 1,934 people have died and 8,931 have recovered. If official statistics are accurate, the number of coronavirus cases in Iran and Germany is very close to each other. Deaths from this disease until Tuesday, the 5th of Farvardin, in Germany were 114 people. According to Kianush Jahanpour, 122 people died in just the past 24 hours.

Iran’s Health Ministry spokesperson also stated: “56.8 percent of infected individuals are men and 41.4 percent are women. Additionally, 60 percent of the deceased are men and 40 percent are women, and one-third of those infected with coronavirus have at least one underlying disease or are taking immune system-suppressing medications.”

Keep the Thirteenth Indoors

One of the most important causes of the coronavirus outbreak in Iran and its heavy toll is the lack of necessary preventive measures and timely public information. The former health minister also recently stated that he warned the government and Rouhani about the coronavirus outbreak in “early December 98.” The state news agency IRNA says the president’s office “did not confirm” these statements.

The spread of superstitions and misinformation to the public is another important factor. Including the claim of Iran’s leader who blamed America for behind the spread of this virus in the world, and not only considered it a biological attack by the United States, but also spoke of “illegitimate and hidden relations between the Great Satan and jinns.”

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic claimed that America in this biological attack created a virus that exactly matches the genetic characteristics of the Iranian people and is a weapon engineered against the Iranian nation.

However, another factor is the lack of cooperation from some of the public with recommendations; something that became particularly evident during the Nowruz holidays. Long lines of travelers who carelessly intended to traverse northern and southern Iran turned into a major problem. Only six million people traveled to Qom during these days.

Kianush Jahanpour, referring to this matter, stated: “Despite all warnings, some Tehran citizens traveled, and when they returned to Tehran, the screening protocol through temperature measurement is not usable, and in this regard we need a protocol with a view to not increasing the epidemiological peak of the disease in Tehran province, and in such circumstances, undoubtedly the return wave of travelers to Tehran will make this situation worse.”

Shahrbanoo Amani, another member of Tehran’s City Council, also said that a significant portion of Tehran’s population comes from other cities and during holidays want to return to other cities. She asked the public to refrain from this during the corona crisis and also criticized the fact that “information about corona was not properly provided and the issue was not taken as seriously as it should have been, saying: this did not have no effect on the wider spread of the disease among the people.”

Isfahan province is also in a dire situation according to officials. Arash Najimi, spokesman for the University Corona Headquarters in Isfahan province, said about the situation of coronavirus spread in this province: “In terms of the number of cases per day, for about a week we have ranked second after Tehran.” According to him, “Isfahan province has 1,979 confirmed positive cases, which is a high ratio, and with the increases happening day by day, no good trend is foreseeable, and we don’t see a very good outlook for the province.”

Now as the thirteenth of Farvardin approaches, officials are concerned about the acceleration of coronavirus spread due to crowds rushing to parks. Zahra Sadr Aazam Nouri, a member of Tehran’s City Council, told ILNA news agency: “In any case, access to parks is easy because they are open and have no entrance and exit gates that would create restrictions.” She asked the public to cooperate and on the 13th of Farvardin “have absolutely no presence in public spaces and parks so that this chain is broken.”

But can the municipality not have control over implementing this recommendation? The member of Tehran’s City Council says: “The municipality does not have the ability to prevent citizens from being in parks. If action is to be taken, it must be through the Health Ministry and the Coronavirus Response Headquarters and relevant organizations. If a circular is issued from their side, the municipality is ready to implement any guidelines that are adopted and issued and have the necessary coordination and cooperation.”

Do Not Attend Funerals or Weddings

Hassan Rouhani has recommended that “all occupations and gatherings that have been declared closed remain closed until the 15th of Farvardin.” He also asked the public not to participate in any gathering “except for gatherings of people to obtain food and hygiene supplies,” including “funeral and mourning ceremonies, celebrations and weddings or other occasions.” He asked the public to maintain a two-meter distance from each other and minimize contacts and travels. The furlough of prisoners will also continue until the end of Farvardin.

This is while the funeral procession of Hossein Asadollahi, a commander of the Revolutionary Guards on the fourth of Farvardin despite the dangers of coronavirus infection was held with the presence of thousands of people in Tehran’s Vardavard area. The Iranian Physicians News Channel, by re-publishing images of this funeral, stated that contrary to the national protocol and at the height of the coronavirus crisis, this action took place. The Health Ministry spokesperson also criticized the holding of the ceremony in the current conditions by publishing a photo from the event.

Images were also shared on social networks of the funeral of Ezzat Khamoshi, the mother-in-law of Meysam Khamenei, showing that a group gathered there as well and there was no sign of maintaining two-meter distance between participants in the ceremony.

Source: DW