Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, July 17, 2020—Over 72,200 people have died of the novel coronavirus in 346 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 Friday afternoon local time, July 17. The official death count declared by the regime stands at 13,791 around a sixth of the actual figure.
The death toll in various provinces include: 5,395 in Khuzestan, 5,375 in Razavi Khorasan, 3,285 in Gilan, 2,730 in Lorestan, 2,235 in Sistan & Baluchistan, 1,850 in Golestan, 1,435 in Kurdistan, 986 in Kerman, 830 in Hormozgan, 750 in Bushehr, 738 in Markazi (Central), 735 in Ardabil, and 535 in Ilam. This is in addition to reports obtained from other provinces.
Over 72,200 dead of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Iran
“All of Iran is code red. All provinces must be considered as code red because the status quo changes from today to tomorrow,” said Minoo Mohraz, a member of the National Covid-19 Task Force on Saturday, according to the state-run Khabar Fori website.
In Tehran, Deputy Health Minister Mohsen Farhadi said new restrictions will be imposed in Tehran starting Saturday based on each district. “Gatherings will be banned from Saturday. Employees of government institutions and administrative offices will be working with two thirds at the site and one third in remote fashion,” he said on Sunday, according to the semi-official ISNA news agency.
“Eleven individuals died of the novel coronavirus on Friday and 424 have died of this illness from the beginning of the pandemic. As we speak, we have 454 people hospitalized, of which 87 are in ICU and 43 of them are in dire condition,” the Hormozgan Medical Sciences University announced in a statement on Friday, according to the Fars news agency, an outlet affiliated to the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC).
In Sistan & Baluchistan province, “medical authorities are reporting a rise in the number of Covid-19 deaths, adding 12 individuals died in he past 24 hours,” according to a report wired by the IRIB news agency on Friday. “The number of patients seeking medical treatment in hospitals have surpassed our estimates and hospital beds are now full. This has been imposing an unprecedented amount of pressure on our medical staff,” said dean of Zahedan Medical Sciences University on Thursday, according to the regime’s official IRNA news agency.
June 27 – Yasuj, south-central #Iran
Head of a local hospital says the facility is full of #COVID19 patients.pic.twitter.com/Vd9iU4L1Kq— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) June 28, 2020
“Around 60 percent of the Covid-19 patients in [Golestan] province are from rural areas. Currently all the cities in our province are code red due to the new coronavirus wave… the status quo has become critical in some cities, such as Kalaleh and Minoodasht… the medical staff is suffering from extreme fatigue,” he added on Thursday, according to the Tasnim news agency, affiliated to the IRGC Quds Force.
“The situation in [Ardabil] province is deteriorating with each passing day. If such conditions continue, we will be facing significant increases in Covid-19 cases in various parts of Ardabil province,” said the caretaker of the provincial Medical Sciences University on Thursday, according to the Tasnim news agency.
In Markazi province the local Medical Sciences University issued a statement calling for volunteers to confront the coronavirus crisis. “The medical staff not only in Markazi province but across the country are tired of fatigue. The weather is currently very warm, and they are wearing protective equipment that brings upon extreme fatigue and lack the energy and high spirit that they need,” the statement read on Friday, according to the ISNA news agency.
“Once again all of Qom’s hospitals are engaged in the struggle against Covid-19. All hospitals across the province are accepting patients who show suspicious sings of the novel coronavirus… This is quite concerning,” said the dean of Qom Medical Sciences University on Friday, according to the Entekhab daily.
“Lockdown restrictions will continue for another week due to the ongoing code red status of the Covid-19 outbreak,” said West Azerbaijan province Covid-19 Task Force in a statement issued on Friday, according to the Mehr news agency, an outlet affiliated to the regime’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS).
The state-run Etemad Online website wrote on Thursday, “One of the reasons the novel coronavirus is not contained is the vague and even contradicting remarks heard from various mid-level and even senior officials. The illness’ existence in Iran was announced with delay… One of the reasons the people did not take Covid-19 seriously was the remarks they heard from officials. Even in some cases the remarks made by the President [Hassan Rouhani] differed from those heard from the Health Minister. If we take a look at countries that have a low number of cases and deaths, we will see that one of the important factors of containing Covid-19 has been the unified remarks heard from their officials.”
Iran coronavirus outbreak death toll interactive map
