Corona in Iran; ICU beds in Tehran are filling up and there is a warning that the upward trend will continue in the coming weeks

Ministry of Health statistics show that from April 20 to April 19, 25,492 new patients with coronavirus were identified, and 395 patients lost their lives within 24 hours.

Many doubt the accuracy of the official statistics, and even the Research Center of the Islamic Consultative Assembly announced that the actual number of infections and deaths is several times the official figures. The Iranian Medical System Organization, based on field surveys, has also predicted that the actual number of victims is at least three times the announced figures.

Completing the capacity of ICU beds in Tehran

Alireza Zali, commander of the coronavirus response headquarters in Tehran, announced a new record number of hospitalizations in the capital, saying that the figure had reached 7,400. Mr. Zali said that even in the worst days of November last year, the total number of hospitalizations had not reached this level.

Nader Tavakoli, deputy director of the Tehran Province Corona Headquarters, also announced that all ICU beds in Tehran are full and said that since outpatient visits have doubled, we will see an increase in the number of hospitalizations in the coming weeks.

In Tehran, according to the head of the City Council Health Committee, the death toll has increased sixfold.

Reza Karami Mohammadi, head of the Tehran Municipality's Crisis Prevention and Management Organization, announced the possibility of the morgues filling up in the coming weeks, saying: "It is possible that if the number of deceased increases, they will not be able to carry out the burial on the same day and it will be postponed to the next day."

Disagreement over coronavirus containment policies

Since the beginning of the "fourth wave" of Corona in Iran, officials in the Islamic Republic of Iran have cited the failure of people to comply with protocols as the main cause of the fourth wave, but many believe that the failure to impose timely restrictions and the slow vaccination process have contributed to the worsening of the situation in the country.

At the same time, internal disputes over how to contain the coronavirus still persist.

While most Iranian cities are in a red zone, subways and buses remain crowded, and officials have yet to reach an agreement on canceling the traffic plan.

Meanwhile, the secretary of the National Headquarters for Combating Corona has said that compliance with health protocols has reached an average of 55 percent in the country.

Babak Dinparast said that 21,000 people have definitely violated the quarantine. He said that the National Headquarters for Combating Corona will announce a legal mechanism for dealing with this case.

Import of 6 million vaccine doses from the private sector

Heydar Mohammadi, Director General of Drugs and Substances under the Food and Drug Administration of the Ministry of Health of Iran, announced the issuance of vaccine import licenses to three companies from the private sector.

Masoud Khansari, head of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, also announced that the private sector has succeeded in finalizing a contract to import 6 million doses of the vaccine.

So far, 520,000 doses of Russia's Sputnik V, 650,000 doses of the Chinese vaccine, 700,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, and 125,000 doses of the Bharat vaccine from India have entered Iran.

Ministry of Health statistics show that 621,822 doses of vaccine have been administered in the country.

Source: Voice of America