Two deaths from coronavirus confirmed in Qom | Medical official: Avoid gatherings
Iranian medical authorities have finally confirmed the deaths of two citizens living in Qom due to the coronavirus. After long denials, Iranian Ministry of Health officials confirmed on Wednesday, February 20, that the initial tests of the two suspects were positive, and a few hours later, when news of their deaths spread widely on social media, they were forced to confirm it.
The president of Qom University of Medical Sciences has also reported an increase in "respiratory diseases in the last three to four days," two of which have resulted in death.
He advised people to "avoid gatherings" and not wear masks "because the mask itself can be a source of infection."
The release of this news comes after Iranian Health Minister Saeed Namaki announced again two days ago that there were no cases of coronavirus infection in Iran.
Also, yesterday, a letter attributed to the Minister of Interior to the Minister of Health was published in some media outlets, asking Saeed Namaki to postpone publishing news about possible infections or deaths in this regard until after the parliamentary elections; but this letter was denied by the Minister of Health and called fake.
Previously, Iranian authorities did not provide a clear report on the treatment process of people infected or suspected of being infected with the coronavirus, and only the Ministry of Health had recently said that about 9 suspected cases of the coronavirus had been identified in Iran. However, recently, ISNA news agency reported in a video report that two people suspected of the coronavirus were hospitalized in the negative pressure respiratory isolation ward of Yaftabad Martyrs Hospital.
Also on February 13, the Iranian Minister of Health denied news from media outlets close to the government that a woman "suspected of contracting the coronavirus" had died in a hospital in Tehran.
In recent days, unconfirmed images were published on social media showing the presence of emergency personnel in special clothing accompanying a person.
After the uncertainties over whether or not Iran's flights to China will be suspended, as well as the concealment and lies of Islamic Republic officials regarding the shooting down of a Ukrainian plane in the skies over Tehran, the public has lost more trust in the government than ever before.
The latest official statistics indicate that the number of coronavirus deaths has exceeded 2,000; however, there is still no accurate information about the possible quarantine status and possible people suspected of having the virus in Iran.
Source: Voice of America
