Rising Prevalence of Coronavirus: Red Alert Status Continues in Several Iranian Provinces

Despite warnings, the spread of coronavirus has worsened the situation regarding the treatment and prevention of COVID-19 disease. The situation in Khuzestan, Kermanshah, Razavi Khorasan, East Azerbaijan, Hormozgan, and Kurdistan provinces has been declared red.

Iranian authorities have reported the expansion of coronavirus cases in several provinces across Iran. Government officials have claimed that the spread of the disease should be attributed to “people’s negligence and irresponsible approaches.”

Based on statistics announced on Wednesday, June 17 (June 28 in the Iranian calendar) by Fakhri Laari, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, more than 2,600 new coronavirus cases were added in the past 24 hours.

This news indicates that the number of COVID-19 deaths has once again reached three digits, reaching 120 people in the past day. The number of deaths the previous day was reported to be 115.

Accordingly, based on official statistics, the total number of COVID-19 patients in Iran has reached over 195,000. According to Ministry of Health statistics, the total number of deaths from coronavirus in Iran has reached 9,185.

Experts view the official statistics announced by the Islamic Republic with skepticism. The spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Health has claimed that so far, 1.32 million coronavirus tests have been conducted in Iran.

Eiroj Harirchi, Deputy Minister of Health who traveled to Sanandaj to assess the situation, stated in an interview with IRNA, Iran’s official news agency, that Iran has the capability to conduct 25,000 coronavirus tests daily.

Red Alert Status in Several Iranian Provinces

Fakhri Laari, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, has declared the situation in Khuzestan, East Azerbaijan, Razavi Khorasan, Kermanshah, Hormozgan, and Kurdistan provinces as red.

This is while the situation in some other Iranian provinces is also unsatisfactory. For example, Abdolreza Fadel, head of Golestan University of Medical Sciences, announced that the situation in the cities of Gonbad Kavous, Aqqala, Bandar Turkmen, Maraveh Tappeh, and Bandar Gaz is red, and except for only two cities (Kordkoy and Gomishan), the situation in all other cities in the province is yellow.

The head of Golestan Province’s University of Medical Sciences attributed the increase in COVID-19 cases in the province to “non-compliance with health protocols, social distancing, and increased visits.” Abdolreza Fadel also criticized the lack of mask usage in public gatherings.

“Conditions for Staying at Home”

IRNA news agency in a report sent from Hormozgan addressed the inadequacy of government officials’ support for the people.

In the report of this news agency, citing Reza Sadeghi, one of the artists of Hormozgan province: “Saying the phrase ‘stay at home’ is very simple. But the conditions for people to stay at home must also be provided.”

Reza Sadeghi in his conversation with an IRNA reporter said: “Unfortunately, the situation in Hormozgan and particularly in the city of Bandar Abbas regarding coronavirus is a very acute, frightening, and strange situation.”

This Hormozgan artist asked officials to “be more supportive of the people and make it easier for people to stay in their homes.”

Sadeghi emphasized in this interview that people who are concerned about feeding their families and meeting their household needs cannot be forced to stay at home unless the government provides for their basic needs.

Eiroj Harirchi also reported in his conversation with IRNA about the continued spread of coronavirus in Iran. He stated that Iran will continue to face this disease even in the summer months.

The Deputy Minister of Health considered changes in people’s beliefs regarding the spread of coronavirus as very dangerous and warned that this virus will not disappear with the arrival of warm weather.

Source: DW