Number of coronavirus patients in Iran exceeds 3 million mark; concerns over vaccination suspension in some cities
According to the latest announcement from Iran’s Ministry of Health, while nearly 4 million and 300 thousand people in the country have received the first dose of coronavirus vaccine so far, fewer than 750 thousand have succeeded in receiving the second dose. On the other hand, the suspension of vaccination in some Iranian cities, despite officials’ promises, has caused concern among citizens.
Iranian media reported based on an announcement from the Ministry of Interior on Thursday, the twentieth of Khordad, that 153 people died in the country in the past 24 hours due to complications from COVID-19.
According to these statistics, so far 81 thousand and 672 people in Iran have died from coronavirus. Based on this report, during the past 24 hours, 12 thousand and 398 new cases of COVID-19 were identified in Iran, with nearly 1 thousand and 500 people hospitalized. With this count, the number of infected people in Iran reached 3 million and 3 thousand and 112.
This is while according to experts, the statistics of infected people and deaths from coronavirus may be up to four times higher than the officially announced figures.
In terms of coronavirus spread in Iran, sixteen cities are in red status (very high risk), 201 cities are in orange status (high risk), and 231 cities are in yellow status (medium risk).
According to Voice of America, while Iranian health officials continue to make promises related to vaccination, the suspension of vaccination in some Iranian cities has caused concern among citizens.
Kianoush Jahanpour, spokesperson for the Food and Drug Organization, had announced the import of approximately seven million vaccine doses in the current month, but as reports of vaccine shortages indicate, this has been delayed.
Alireza Naji, head of the Virology Research Center and member of the COVID-19 scientific committee, attributed part of this disorder to Sinopharm and Sputnik vaccine manufacturers, saying they have “broken their promises.”
Alireza Vahab-zadeh, advisor to the Minister of Health, also on Twitter, attributed the vaccine manufacturers and consumption of “80 percent” of vaccine supplies by “several countries” as the main reason for this delay.
On the eleventh of Khordad, the World Health Organization reported a 15 percent decrease in the number of new cases worldwide, reaching 3.5 million people.
Iran, with more than 69 thousand new cases, ranks sixth in the world in terms of the number of new infections.
Source: Voice of America
