Deputy Minister of Health: Vaccination against Corona started late, we may reach 800 deaths per day

Iraj Harirchi, Deputy General of the Ministry of Health, acknowledged that vaccination in Iran started late and said that 90 percent of the country's cities are in the red zone in terms of the spread of the coronavirus, and if the guidelines are not followed, the death toll from the coronavirus may reach 800 people per day.

Speaking on a television program on Sunday evening, August 1, he announced a 38% increase in deaths among patients infected with the coronavirus, saying that currently one Iranian is dying every 4 minutes, and that there will be an increase in the next ten days.

According to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Health, about 91,000 people have died from the coronavirus, but previously, the Iranian Medical System Organization estimated the actual number of deaths from the coronavirus in Iran to be up to 4 times the Ministry of Health's figures.

Mr. Harirchi said that currently only 39 percent of the Ministry of Health's guidelines are being followed.

Saeed Namaki, the Minister of Health in the Hassan Rouhani government, also wrote a letter to the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran yesterday, calling for his "serious intervention" and the Supreme National Security Council due to the dire situation caused by the spread of the coronavirus in the country.

Saeed Namaki's letter states that perhaps a two-week closure and the use of "military and law enforcement forces" to deal "firmly" with violators of health protocols will help control the coronavirus.

Mr. Harirchi also confirmed reports of shortages of some basic supplies, such as serum, and promised that this problem would be resolved soon.

In recent days, as the coronavirus crisis in Iran has intensified, many reports have been published about the shortage of basic medical supplies, such as serum, as well as a shortage of hospital beds.

In this regard, Ali Roohbakhsh, the director of drug and controlled substance affairs at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, on Saturday called the drug situation "critical" and reported the lack of serum in the city's hospitals and warned about the lack of the drug "Favipiravir."

According to Mr. Roohbakhsh, in addition to coronavirus drugs, supplies of the drug "Betaferon" for MS patients and several chemotherapy drugs have also been limited.

Source: Radio Farda