CEO of Behesht-e Zahra: Over 41,000 COVID-19 Victims Buried in This Cemetery
The CEO of Behesht-e Zahra Organization announced on Tuesday, Shahrivar 9, that so far 41,591 victims of coronavirus have been buried in this cemetery.
Saeid Khal, speaking at the eighth session of Tehran’s Islamic City Council, stated that since the beginning of Esfand 1398, the Behesht-e Zahra Organization has faced an unprecedented crisis in the past 50 years, which had never been experienced before.
According to him, “Even during the years of the Sacred Defense, Tehran floods, the Bam earthquake, and the Rudbar earthquake, such numbers were not seen in the deceased.”
The CEO of Behesht-e Zahra Organization stated that until last night (Monday, Shahrivar 8), 41,591 coronavirus victims have been received at the Behesht-e Zahra site, meaning 40 percent of COVID-19 deaths in the entire country have been received at Behesht-e Zahra Organization and 60 percent at other cemeteries in the country.
According to this report, of all coronavirus deaths received at Behesht-e Zahra, 24,831 were men and 16,753 were women.
The new wave of coronavirus outbreak in Iran has intensified at a time when vaccination in the country has only recently accelerated to some extent, such that so far 8 million, 711 thousand and 970 people have received both doses of the coronavirus vaccine.
The total number of vaccine doses administered in the country has reached 27 million, 501 thousand and 586 doses.
However, the inability of the Headquarters of Imam’s Executive Order to mass produce an effective vaccine and the prohibition on importing American and British vaccines by the leader of the Islamic Republic has caused the death toll from coronavirus to increase sharply over the past month.
The CEO of Behesht-e Zahra Organization mentioned the organization’s capacity for daily burials under normal conditions to be between 150 to 160 people, which according to him, during times of crisis could increase to around 240 people; however, during the coronavirus crisis, this capacity increased to 2.5 times with doubled pressure and multiple shift work by staff.
He had stated on Tir 16 that Behesht-e Zahra staff continue their activities in two and three shifts.
Mr. Khal reported on Tuesday that 225 Behesht-e Zahra personnel have been infected with coronavirus, and stated that 600 employees of this organization have been vaccinated. In light of the budget considered by the Finance Deputy of Tehran Municipality, an “Isolated Sterilization Center” at Behesht-e Zahra Organization is scheduled for construction and has so far achieved approximately 20 percent physical progress.
Source: Radio Farda
