Conflicting Reports About Death of Woman ‘Suspected of Coronavirus’ in Iran; Health Ministry Denies

Following the publication of a report by a state-affiliated media outlet claiming that a woman “suspected of contracting coronavirus” died in one of Tehran’s hospitals, Iran’s Health Minister refuted the news.

Newspaper Iran on Wednesday, the 23rd of Bahman, reported that “coinciding with the death of a middle-aged woman in one of the capital’s hospitals who was suspected of having coronavirus disease, an investigation into the matter was launched.”

In this report, it was stated that at 11:30 on Monday, the 21st of Bahman, officials from one of the capital’s hospitals informed the 110 emergency number of the suspicious death of a 63-year-old woman, and an investigation was initiated by officers from the 181st police station.

Newspaper Iran wrote that “based on initial investigations and according to statements by the medical staff of this hospital, it is likely that this woman was infected with coronavirus and died as a result of this disease.”

However, Saeid Namaki, Iran’s Health Minister, while confirming the death of this woman in Zanjan, denied that she was infected with coronavirus and said that “a woman in Zanjan was under observation for some time and was tested 3 times, with her last test also being negative.”

Iran’s Health Minister again stated that so far there is “no confirmed case” of coronavirus disease in the country.

The publication of this news comes at a time when Iranian authorities do not provide transparent reports on the treatment process of individuals infected with or suspected of being infected with coronavirus, and only the Health Ministry had previously stated that approximately 9 suspected cases of coronavirus were identified in Iran. However, some time ago, ISNA news agency reported in a photo report that two people suspected of having coronavirus are hospitalized in the negative pressure respiratory isolation ward of Shahid Motahari Hospital in Yaft Abad.

Following ambiguities about whether Iran’s flights to China were stopped or not, as well as the concealment and lies by Islamic Republic officials regarding the shooting down of a Ukrainian plane in Tehran’s airspace, the public has lost confidence in the government more than ever before.

The latest official statistics released from China indicate that the death toll has exceeded one thousand.

Source: Voice of America