Iran's Health Ministry: The "fourth wave" of coronavirus is certain to peak
On Thursday, April 12, the Iranian Ministry of Health sent a warning text message to citizens, announcing the certainty of a peak in the coronavirus outbreak across the country.
Alireza Raisi, spokesman for the National Headquarters for Combating Coronavirus, announced in recent days that the peak of the "fourth wave" has begun in the western strip and central cities of Iran and is advancing towards the east of the country. Currently, West Azerbaijan is witnessing the peak of the spread of the coronavirus.
According to Mr. Raisi, more than 15,000 patients infected with the coronavirus traveled during Nowruz.
Iranian Ministry of Health officials are providing the media with daily statistics on infections and deaths from the coronavirus at a time when there are serious doubts about the accuracy of these figures, and the Iranian Medical System Organization believes that the number of victims is three to four times the official figure.
In today's text message, the Ministry of Health also emphasized the "rapid" increase in the number of coronavirus cases in most parts of the country.
Officials have asked people to observe health protocols, including wearing masks, not to leave their homes for "Sizdah Badr" and to avoid family gatherings.
With the declaration of an orange state in Tehran and the ban on the entry and exit of non-local vehicles, gatherings on the occasion of the 13th of Behdar and Friday prayers on April 13 were banned.
Tehran Traffic Police also announced on Thursday the deployment of forces at all entry points to parks and recreation areas in Tehran.
In this context, the Deputy Minister of Interior and Head of the Municipalities and Rural Development Organization, referring to the ban on people entering parks and urban green spaces in the country's red and orange counties, said: "Entry to parks and green spaces in Tehran will be prohibited from 4 a.m. (April 13)."
The Ministry of Health's news channel had previously cited Nowruz celebrations, wedding or mourning ceremonies, gatherings in restaurants, banquet halls, and hotel restaurants, the use of public transportation, especially buses and trains, and the decline in the level of health care and mask use as important factors in what it called the "new surge" of coronavirus in the country.
These cases are being reported while Hassan Rouhani's government has not practically implemented extensive quarantine restrictions to control the situation and, in most cases, has merely issued recommendations and warnings.
Source: Radio Farda
