Confirmation of death of Gilani nurse from coronavirus delayed by one week; world concerned about cover-up by Iranian authorities
The positive coronavirus test result of a young nurse who died at Lahijan Hospital was finally announced after a one-week delay, a delay that has sparked considerable criticism.
According to ILNA news agency, the Nursing Organization of East Gilan confirmed on Monday, March 2, that the death of Narges Khanaliazadeh, a nurse at Lahijan Hospital, was caused by coronavirus. While news of the death of this young nurse had been widely circulated on social media a week earlier, official authorities had at that time denied reports that she died from coronavirus infection.
Nurses say that necessary equipment has not been provided to them by the Ministry of Health.
Now the confirmation of the death of the Gilani nurse due to infection with the new coronavirus, also delayed by one week, has resonated in cyberspace.
For example, a Twitter user named Babak wrote: “Due to lack of kits, a nurse’s coronavirus test comes back positive 7 days after her death. Meanwhile, the country’s official gets a fever at 8 AM, tests positive at 10 AM, goes into quarantine at noon, and tweets about his recovery at night.”
In recent days, several Iranian government officials have reported coronavirus infection. Mehr news agency reported in one report that at least 20 members of the Islamic Consultative Assembly tested positive for coronavirus. This news agency reported on Sunday, March 1, that the coronavirus test of Massoumeh Agha Pour Almshahi, representative of Shabestar, Ghasem Mirzaei Neko, representative of Damavand, and one of the representatives of Tabriz, Ahar, and Asku in parliament tested positive.
Previously, Mahmoud Sadeghi and Mojtaba Zolnouri were among the representatives whose test results came back positive.
It was previously reported that Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, a prominent principlist figure, also tested positive for coronavirus on his first test. Farid Haddadaraei, a relative of Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the Leader of the Islamic Republic, also announced his positive test result. People say that while officials have easy access to coronavirus tests, this is not available to them or to nurses who are on the front lines of fighting coronavirus.
Public opinion in Iran is concerned about cover-ups by Iranian authorities. The first coronavirus death was reported on the first day of Esfand, at a time when officials had previously denied any coronavirus infection in Iran.
Reuters in recent days, by publishing unofficial figures, wrote that more than 210 people in Iran have died from coronavirus, while official figures have so far confirmed 66 deaths.
Mike Pompeo also said on Friday, February 28, at a meeting of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, that given the track record of cover-ups by Islamic Republic officials, the Iranian regime is unwilling to inform about the spread of the coronavirus and I am concerned that they have concealed important information.
This is the second time the U.S. Secretary of State has expressed concern about possible cover-ups by Iranian authorities. Mike Pompeo had warned on Tuesday that America is concerned about cover-ups by Islamic Republic officials regarding the spread of coronavirus.
The United States announced on Thursday that it has issued waivers from sanctions against Iran and allows the Central Bank of Iran to be authorized to conduct financial transfers for sending some humanitarian services.
Source: Voice of America
