The number of fatalities once again hit a record high, approaching 500 people per day.

As the coronavirus pandemic crisis continues in Iran, official statistics indicate that the death toll has broken the record with 486 deaths in the past 24 hours.

On Monday, November 16, the spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Health announced the death toll, saying that 13,053 people were infected with COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of infected people to 775,121.

Thus, assuming the accuracy of this report, the total number of deaths since the beginning of the pandemic has reached 41,979.

The accuracy of the statistics announced by the Islamic Republic, like those of China and Russia, is highly questionable, and based on the available evidence and contradictions observed in the statistics provided by various institutions, it can be said that accurate information is not being provided about the actual number of infected and dead. The World Health Organization and even the Research Center of the Islamic Consultative Assembly have announced that the actual number of infections and deaths is several times the official statistics in Iran. Not long ago, 8 months after the start of the coronavirus, the Deputy Minister of Health of Iran admitted that the actual number of deaths due to coronavirus is between one and a half and 2.2 times the official statistics. While Masoud Mardani, a member of the Scientific Committee of the Headquarters to Combat Coronavirus in Iran, believes that the actual number is 2.5 times .

The high number of infections and deaths in Iran comes at a time when, after weeks of the start of the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic, a red and critical situation in about 100 cities, and all hospital beds being filled, the Iranian government has recently imposed restrictions on movement and some activities, and with great delay has decided to impose a two-week lockdown and nighttime curfew in 150 cities, including Tehran.

The third wave of the pandemic began after the mourning ceremonies for the month of Muharram. Last week, Reza Tabrizi, an athlete who criticized the opening of religious places during the coronavirus crisis, was arrested by security forces in Mashhad.

Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the United States has warned about the cover-up and incompetence of the Islamic Republic of Iran's authorities.

Source: Voice of America