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Iran coronavirus update: Over 71,700 deaths, officials talk of “more dangerous” second wave

Reporting by PMOI/MEK

Iran, July 16, 2020—Over 71,700 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 Thursday afternoon local time, July 16. The official death count declared by the regime stands at 13,608 around a sixth of the actual figure.

The death toll in various provinces include: 17,850 in Tehran, 3,145 in Mazandaran, 2,695 in Lorestan, 2,265 in Alborz, 1,895 in Hamedan, 1,820 in Kermanshah, and 1,725 in Fars. This is in addition to reports obtained from other provinces.

While the number of coronavirus victims increase with each passing day and regime officials are calling for the closure of various businesses and activities, Iranian regime President Hassan Rouhani once again placed the blame on the people. “More than imposing any restrictions or lockdowns, abiding by instructions and health protocols are the main method of confronting Covid-19. To more effectively confront coronavirus, we have no choice but to change our lifestyles,” he said during a National Covid-19 Task Force session on Wednesday, July 15.

Over 71,700 dead of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Iran

Over 71,700 dead of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Iran

“The recent increase in the number of cases and deaths from Covid-19 across the country was foreseeable and preventable. As it was noted prior to this time and again, and had also been forecasted, an early return to work and relaunching various activities was not necessary… it has resulted in an increase in the transfer of the virus and we are witnessing a portion of the result. In the future we will witness even more cases,” said Masoud Younesian, a member of the Covid-19 Epidemiology Committee in Tehran Medical Sciences University, said on Thursday, according to the state-run Resalat daily.

“We have significant concerns in provinces such as Mazandaran or Razavi Khorasan, or Tehran itself and Alborz,” said Health Minister Saied Namaki on Wednesday, according to the regime’s state-run IRIB TB.

 

 

While the mullahs’ regime is not providing even minimum support in the struggle against Covid-19, Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi voiced further concerns. “If each Iranian family has an increase in expenses equal to 16 million rials, the backbreaking health expenses have increased from 3.7 to 8 percent. In rural families, this index increases from 4.9 to 12.9 percent,” he said on Thursday, according to the Asre Iran daily.

“The second wave will be far worse than the first wave,” said Jalili Khoshnoond, deputy of the Tehran Covid-19 Task Force chief on Thursday. “Lockdown measures in Tehran may continue for a few days or weeks for us to bring this second wave under control. We are facing two significant issues of shortages in hospital beds and medical staff. Our medical staff have mostly contracted the virus, or their family members have contracted the virus and they are forced to take care of them. In the Shohada Hospital in the Tajrish district have 172 medical staff members engaged and me myself, and our all our deputies, are all engaged. I myself am hospitalized and my lung is infected up to 40 percent. The deputy chief of various hospitals are also hospitalized,” he added, according to the semi-official ISNA news agency.

“Sixty to 70 percent of the cities in [Mazandaran] province is in code red. The number of people being hospitalized continues to rise. As it proceeds there in a few weeks may not be any more empty beds to receive new patients,” said the head of Mazandaran Medical Sciences University on Thursday, according to Hamshahri daily.

“Currently 1,130 beds in government hospitals and 188 beds in private hospitals are allocated to coronavirus patients… 1,084 patients with Covid-19 symptoms are suffering from severe respiratory symptoms and under treatment in hospitals linked to this university,” said the spokesperson of Mazandaran Medical Sciences University on Thursday, according to the official IRNA news agency.

In East Azerbaijan province, the deputy dean of the local Medical Sciences University said each day the number of people seeking medical treatment are increasing. One in eight Covid-19 patients are attached to ventilators and are in dire conditions. Currently there are more than 850 people hospitalized in hospitals across the province, he added on Wednesday, according to the semi-official ISNA news agency.

In Khuzestan province, the president of Ahvaz’s Abuzar Children’s Hospital said, “Every day, at least 8-10 new cases of children with coronavirus are hospitalized in the ICU section of this facility.” (Source: Rouz-e No, July 16)

In Fars province, the capacity of Hazrat-e Ali Asghar Hospital and two other hospitals in Shiraz which had been allocated to coronavirus patients have been filled, Fars News Agency reported. The dean of Shiraz Medical Sciences University said, “If these conditions persist, in the next 2-3 weeks, we will face a higher rate of deaths.”

 

Iran coronavirus outbreak death toll interactive map

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