"50 taxi drivers" die from coronavirus in Tehran every month; only "seven percent" of the population has been vaccinated

While it is reported that the number of deaths from coronavirus among taxi drivers in Tehran alone has reached 40 to 50 per month, Iran's health minister admitted that the government and his ministry "have not managed the space in terms of observing and disciplining social distancing."

Mohammad Roshni, CEO of the Tehran Taxi Organization, announced on Monday, July 12, that by the end of June, 425 taxi drivers in the capital had died due to COVID-19.

Recalling that vaccination of taxi drivers has not yet begun in Iran, he said: "Unfortunately, the number of coronavirus deaths among taxi drivers has reached 40 to 50 per month."

On the same day, Saeed Namaki, Iran's Health Minister, who traveled to Zabol, told reporters: "Our businesses closed their shops at the height of the shortage and complied with our request, but we did not manage the space in terms of observing and maintaining social distancing."

Despite repeated warnings from experts and some officials from the Iranian Ministry of Health about the increase in the number of coronavirus cases following Nowruz travel, religious holidays, and other events, the Hassan Rouhani government did not implement serious restrictions to control traffic for long periods, and government officials mostly limited themselves to recommendations and warnings.

On Monday, Iran's Health Minister continued to comment that "with a little compliance and listening to the recommendations, many problems would not have arisen."

Mr. Namaki continued: "It was not unexpected that we would throw tables and organize such parties during the city and village council elections and get caught, and what happened in other people's behaviors, such as holding weddings and mourning ceremonies with large crowds, and this is the outcome we are reaping."

On Monday, with the identification of more than 20,000 new patients with COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, the total number of people infected with the virus in the country exceeded three million.

According to this report, which is far from the actual number of infected and dead people from Corona, 182 more people lost their lives in Iran due to Corona in the past 24 hours.

While health officials in Iran have been saying since early July that the "fifth wave" of the coronavirus outbreak has begun in Iran and that Tehran and the northern half of the country are also at risk, Hojjatoleslam Ruhollah Harizawi, deputy head of the Islamic Propaganda Organization, announced on July 28 that all religious programs in the country will be held.

Iran is facing the fifth wave of the coronavirus outbreak while the vaccination rate in the country is extremely low compared to other countries, and Iran ranks 144th in the world.

According to Jafar Sadeq Tabrizi, the deputy minister of health of the Islamic Republic, only "seven percent of the population over the age of 18" have been vaccinated.

He predicted that by the end of January this year, all "population over 18 years of age in the country will be vaccinated." This claim comes despite the fact that Ministry of Health officials have promised to fully vaccinate the country's population several times, but each time they announce a new date.

Iran has unveiled at least five types of vaccines in recent months, but none of these vaccines have yet entered the injection cycle, and the country relies more on vaccines imported from China and Russia, the number of which is limited.