Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, July 18, 2020—Over 72,700 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 Saturday afternoon local time, July 18. The official death count declared by the regime stands at 13,979 around a fifth of the actual figure.
The death toll in various provinces include: 5,435 in Khuzestan, 5,405 in Razavi Khorasan, 3,180 in Mazandaran, 2,775 in Lorestan, 2,315 in Alborz, 2,260 in Sistan & Baluchistan, 1,920 in Hamedan, 1,772 in Fars, 1,845 in Kermanshah, 1,010 in Kerman, 920 in North Khorasan, 855 in Yazd, and 242 in South Khorasan. This is in addition to reports obtained from other provinces.
Over 72,700 dead of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Iran
“To this day 25 million Iranians have contracted the novel coronavirus and we need to assume 30 to 35 million are in danger of being infected by this virus,” regime President Hassan Rouhani acknowledged on Saturday. “The number of people hospitalized in the future will be around twice the number we have witnessed in the past 150 days,” he added.
“The second wave is due to the fact that our weddings have their own form, timing and invitations. It is the same in mourning ceremonies and parties. The summer season has its own rituals and our social relations have their own special form, and there is not enough attention to this illness,” Rouhani continued by blaming the people for the new Covid-19 surge. “The second wave is the result of people losing their fear and returning to their normal lives and rituals, which we needed to quit, and we did not.”
“This was foreseeable with the reopening of stores and business centers. At the time the Health Ministry had warned time and again that the status quo is not normal at all. We had announced that there is no green or safe zone anywhere in the country… and this result was definite,” said the Health Ministry spokesperson on Saturday, according to the state-run Iran Online website.
Vatan-e Emrouz quoted Minoo Mohraz, member of the Coronavirus Task Force, as saying, “The number of incoming patients with coronavirus to Tehran’s medical centers has increased dramatically. The second wave is much more dangerous, and compared to previous months, much more deadly.”
Mohraz confirmed that patients in critical conditions are dying fast and said, “The hospitals of Tehran and counties are filled with critical patients… after the reopening and lifting of restrictions, the spread of the virus has become worse.”
In Razavi Khorasan province, the governor of Neyshabur confirmed that the number of hospitalized coronavirus patients and deaths has increased considerably in the past few days and the situation is alarming, ISNA news agency reported. “The red-status alarm has been raised in this county,” the governor said. The same report quoted the dean of Neyshabur Medical Sciences University as saying, “The increase in hospitalized patients from February to July has become very bad. Today we’re in a worse state compared to February.”
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
In Mazandaran province, the dean of the medical sciences university said, “The number of hospitalized patients in different cities of the province is increasing and in the next days, there might be no room left to admit new patients.” (Source: Iran Online, July 18)
The deputy provincial governor of Mazandaran said, “If the spread of the virus continues as is, we must set up field hospitals in the province. There are 600 hospital beds in Amol, and currently 400 people are hospitalized. This city is in a dangerous state.” (Source: Javan, July 18)
In Kerman province, the deputy dean of the medical science university said that 15-20 percent of Kerman’s population has contracted coronavirus, ISNA reported. “The number of hospitalized coronavirus patients and the deaths has increased in Kerman and presently, almost all the province is in a code-red situation,” the deputy-dean said. “We can’t impose many restrictions because the Coronavirus Task Force has tied our hands.”
In Yazd province, the deputy dean of the Sadoughi Medical Sciences University confirmed that the past 40 days have seen a threefold increase in the number of coronavirus cases, Javan reported on Friday. “Forty days ago, there were 70 hospitalized patients. Today, we have 235.”
Dean of the Qom Medical Sciences University reported “all hospitals in this province are once again engaged and the governor is forecasting that this province will enter red code status by the end of next week.”
“Another peak of this illness began in June and the number of people hospitalized in a facility such as Kamkar that was 70 to 80 has now suddenly reached 165,” said the university’s deputy dean on Saturday, according to the state-run Shahrvand daily.
Iran coronavirus outbreak death toll interactive map
