Associated Press reports on Sharif University study results: Millions of Iranians likely to die from coronavirus

The results of Sharif University's studies on the coronavirus show that if people do not cooperate and the coronavirus is not controlled, 3.5 million Iranians will likely lose their lives.

According to the Associated Press on Tuesday, March 17, Dr. Afroz Eslami, who works as a journalist for the Iranian Broadcasting Corporation (IRBC) in addition to his medical work, said on Iranian television, citing the results of a study conducted by Sharif University, that three scenarios for the coronavirus in Iran can be considered.

According to this report, if people start cooperating now, it is expected that 120,000 Iranians will become infected and 12,000 will die before the coronavirus is contained.

The second scenario in Sharif University research says that if people cooperate less, 300,000 people will likely be infected with the virus and 110,000 will die. Finally, if people do not follow any of the rules required to contain the coronavirus, Iran's already exhausted and worn-out healthcare system will likely collapse, and in the absence of sufficient equipment, four million people will become infected with the coronavirus and 3.5 million will die.

Ms. Eslami did not explain what criteria the research was based on, but its publication in Iranian media, which is tightly controlled by the government, could be challenging for officials in the Islamic Republic, who have long denied the severity of the coronavirus crisis.

The Associated Press report adds that Ms. Eslami's statements came after protesters gathered to close the doors of the tomb of Masoumeh, the sister of the eighth Shiite Imam, and broke one of the doors of the tomb.

On Tuesday evening, hours after it was announced that the doors of the Masoumeh Shrine and the Jamkaran Mosque in Qom would be closed to combat the spread of the coronavirus, a group of protesters broke down one of the doors of the shrine.

Protesters attacked the doors of the Masoumeh shrine in Qom and the eighth Shiite Imam in Mashhad, while the Leader of the Islamic Republic, Ali Khamenei, has called on people to follow the instructions of the headquarters to combat the Corona virus in Iran, as well as to avoid unnecessary travel.

The report says that currently 90 percent of the 18,000 people infected with the coronavirus in the Middle East according to official statistics are Iranians: "The government denied the spread of the coronavirus for a long time, and now that the situation has worsened, on the eve of Nowruz, people are being checked at the entrances to major cities; while on Tuesday, the number of coronavirus victims increased by 13 percent in one day, reaching 988, and the number of infected people is stated to be 16,000."

The Associated Press reported on measures taken by some countries to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Jordan has banned gatherings of more than 10 people and has deployed military forces outside major cities to block entry and exit. Israel has also taken strict measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

The report also mentioned Egypt, which, with 166 people infected and four of its citizens dead, has quarantined the tourist province of the Red Sea and even closed the tourist city of Hurghada, and has completely stopped tourism activities, hotels, etc. for 14 days.

The Omani government has also ordered that anyone entering from abroad must remain in quarantine for 14 days.

According to the Associated Press, there are many reports of Iranian people not heeding warnings from authorities and even security forces, an example of which is the protests against the closure of the tombs of the eighth Shiite Imam and his sister in the cities of Mashhad and Qom; places that are open to pilgrims 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and people kiss the shrines according to religious custom.

Khorasan Razavi and Qom provinces are among the provinces that have had the most deaths from the coronavirus.

Radio Farda's investigations show that 230 people have lost their lives in Khorasan Razavi Province so far.

Source: Radio Farda