Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, February 18, 2021—Over 217,600 people have died of the novel coronavirus in 480 cities checkered across all of Iran’s 31 provinces, according to reports tallied by the Iranian opposition People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) as of Thursday afternoon local time, February 18. The official death toll declared by the regime stands at 59,264 around a third of the actual figure.
The coronavirus death toll in various provinces include: 52,026 in Tehran, 13,975 in Isfahan, 10,995 in Khuzestan, 9152 in Mazandaran, 8953 in Lorestan, 8270 in Qom, 8078 in West Azerbaijan, 7776 in Gilan, 5655 in Golestan, 5143 in Hamedan, 4363 in Markazi, 4012 in Yazd, 2707 in Ardabil, 2360 in Zanjan, 2246 in Ilam, and 2091 South Khorasan. This is in addition to reports obtained from other provinces.
Infographic-PMOI/MEK reports over 217,600 coronavirus (COVID-19) deaths in Iran
“The cities of Khorramshahr and Ramhormoz in Khuzestan province are now red zone areas. The number of red cities in Khuzestan stands at 11,” said the spokesperson for the regime’s Health Ministry on Thursday. “The spread of the mutated UK strain is an alarm bell sounding signaling our entrance into the fourth wave of this illness. Most certainly if we do enter this new phase, conditions will be far more difficult in the coming weeks,” she added, according to the regime's official IRNA news agency.
“Conditions in Tehran is critical, and we are forecasting a change in the death rate in around two to four weeks. The number of patients seeking medical treatment in the past week has risen 23 percent and 4.9 percent in comparison to yesterday,” said Alireza Zali, head of the Tehran Covid-19 Task Force on Thursday. “Currently 2103 coronavirus patients are hospitalized across Tehran, of which 723 are in ICUs. 47 percent of the individuals who are hospitalized for coronavirus in Tehran have positive PCR tests, indicating a new spread of the virus or the virus becoming more active in Tehran. This can be the previous or the new mutated strain,” he added, according to the Mehr news agency, an outlet linked to the regime's Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS).
Tehran’s governor described the Covid-19 management situation in the province as extremely fragile. “Considering the rising number of people seeking medical care, those hospitalized and placed in ICUs in recent days, and the spread of the UK strain, we are still forced to adopt smart measures across Tehran province,” he said on Thursday, according to the Tasnim news agency, an outlet affiliated to the regime’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) Quds Force.
“There is a 75 percent rise in the number of cases, 65 percent rise in those being hospitalized, 52 percent rise in deaths in comparison to last week,” said the head off the Khuzestan Health Center on Wednesday, according to state TV.
“Since last Wednesday to this day the number of people hospitalized in the ICU of Shohada Hospital have increased by 100 percent… the age of Covid-19 cases have decreased and recently a one-year-old baby has been hospitalized. This is quite alarming,” said the head of Shohada Hospital in the city of Izeh in Khuzestan province on Wednesday, according to the regime's official IRNA news agency.
In Zanjan the governor said five individuals have contracted the UK strain and one individual in Qazvin province has died of this new strain. “Currently anyone having a positive PCR test should be considered to have contracted the UK strain, and they must immediately be quarantined. Rest assured if the UK strain has been spreading in Qazvin province, the impact will be seen in the cities of Abhar and Khodabandeh (in Zanjan province). Neglecting these indicators will result in the beginning of the fourth peak. No one will be able to distinguish the next catastrophe,” this official added on Thursday, according to the semi-official ISNA news agency.
“During the past 24 hours 393 new cases have been identified. Of all those hospitalized for coronavirus 137, meaning nearly 30 percent, are in ICUs and 31 are under ventilators,” said the dean of West Azerbaijan Medical Sciences University on Thursday, according to the regime's official IRNA news agency.
Iran coronavirus outbreak death toll interactive map
