Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, July 28, 2020—Over 78,100 people have died of the novel coronavirus in 347 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 Tuesday afternoon local time, July 28. The official death count declared by the regime stands at 16,147 around a fifth of the actual figure.
The death toll in various provinces include: 5,620 in Khuzestan, 3,605 in Mazandaran, 3,390 in Gilan, 3,075 in Lorestan, 2,087 in Golestan, 2,025 in Hamedan, 1,990 in Fars, 1,920 in Kermanshah, 985 in Semnan, 970 in Hormozgan, 845 in Ardabil, and 625 in Qazvin. This is in addition to reports obtained from other provinces.
Over 78,100 dead of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Iran
Spokesperson of the Health Ministry said on Tuesday that in the past 24-hour period 235 have died and 3,902 individuals are in ICU. Both these statistics are unprecedented since the beginning of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Fifteen provinces, including Tehran, are in code red status, the spokesperson acknowledged for the first time. Other code red provinces include Mazandaran, Golestan, Fars, East Azerbaijan, Ardabil, Isfahan, Alborz, Ilam, Razavi Khorasan, Kerman, North Khorasan, Semnan, Lorestan and Hormozgan. “The provinces of West Azerbaijan, Khuzestan, Bushehr, Chaharmahal & Bakhtiari, Zanjan, Hamedan, Kohgiluyeh & Boyer Ahmed, Markazi (Central), Yazd, Gilan and Qom are in alarming conditions,” she continued, according to the regime’s official IRNA news agency.
“Considering the extension of the announced restriction period in Tehran, any public events, gatherings and exhibitions in Tehran are banned,” said Alireza Zali, head of the Tehran Covid-19 Task Force, on Monday. “Naturally, 684 new cases in the past 24 hours in Tehran’s hospitals is a significant number that can impact our medical staff and treatment capacity. Seventeen percent of the Covid-19 patients are in dire conditions and placed in ICUs,” he added, according to IRNA.
Ali Asghar Anabestani, an MP from Razavi Khorasan province said, “The government has abandoned the coronavirus outbreak to manage the economic situation. In other words, the government has sold the people’s lives to their pockets. In recent days, we’ve seen a surge in the number of coronavirus cases in Razavi Khorasan and no sense of responsibility in the executive apparatus… The number of coronavirus death in my jurisdiction has reached five per day, which is more than the national and worldwide average. This much death is a serious alarm for the country.” (Source: Khaneye Melat website, July 28)
In Ardebil province, the caretaker of the medical sciences university said that the number of patients referring to hospitals and health centers every day has surpassed 1,000, IRNA reported. “According to statements made by health officials in Ardebil province, this province is in a critical situation from a coronavirus spread standpoint. Four counties of Ardebil, Meshgin Shahr, Pars Abad, and Nayyer are in code-red conditions,” the caretaker added.
While objections continue to the regime’s decision to hold religious Ashura mourning ceremonies amid the pandemic, Ahmad Marvi, the caretaker of the Astan-e Qods Razavi Foundation, said, “Our understanding from the statements of the leadership (Ali Khamenei) is that mourning ceremonies must not be cancelled.” (Source: Mizan, July 27)
Alireza Aarafi, the secretary of seminaries, said that Khamenei has stressed that “this flame (of mourning) must be kept alit.” (Source: Khabar Fori, July 27)
“When [President Hassan] Rouhani ordered large gatherings during the month of Muharam (when Ashura religious rituals are marked) while banning weddings and funerals due to Covid-19, it truly gives our citizens the feeling of living in a circus, or if better put, Orwell’s Animal Farm. People are left in a limbo with empty pockets while our officials lack any concerns and enjoy their full stomachs. People feel as if they have been deliberately left to die,” according to a piece written in the state-run Mostaghel daily on Tuesday.
Iran coronavirus outbreak death toll interactive map
