Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, August 28, 2020—Over 96,000 people have died of the novel coronavirus in 408 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, August 28. The official death count declared by the regime stands at 21,249, around a fifth of the actual figure.
The coronavirus death toll in various provinces include: 23355 in Tehran, 6775 in Razavi Khorasan, 6447 in Khuzestan, 4668 in Mazandaran, 4320 in Isfahan, 4117 in Lorestan, 2766 in Golestan, 2698 in Fars, 1946 in Kurdistan, 1519 in North Khorasan, 1242 in Semnan, 1231 in Markazi (Central), 1132 in Ardabil, 657 in Chaharmahal & Bakhtiari, 595 in Kohgiluyeh & Boyer Ahmed, and 514 in South Khorasan. This is in addition to reports obtained from other provinces.
Over 96,000 dead of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Iran
“The provinces of Tehran, Mazandaran, Gilan, Qom, Isfahan, Razavi Khorasan, East Azerbaijan, Kerman, North Khorasan, Semnan, Yazd, Zanjan and Qazvin are considered red zones. Furthermore, the provinces of West Azerbaijan, Fars, Lorestan, Hormozgan, Ardabil, Bushsher, Kermanshah, Kohgiluyeh & Boyer Ahmed, South Khorasan, Markazi, Ilam, Chaharmahal & Bakhtiari, Golestan and Khuzestan are in alarming conditions,” said the spokesperson of the regime’s Health Ministry on Friday. These 28 provinces add up to 93 percent of the country’s population.
“We all need to know that we probably will need to live with the Covid-19 virus for another two years. Currently, we are in critical conditions. Most of the country’s provinces, especially the northern provinces and Tehran, are considered red zones,” said Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi on Friday, according to the Mehr news agency, an outlet linked to the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS).
The head of public relations of the Medical Council said, “The continuation of the coronavirus crisis has tired the doctors and nurses. Many of them have contracted the virus. Many have died. Doctors working in private clinics are faced with financial problems because of fewer patients going to these facilities. Every week, four clinics in the country shut down… Every day, we hear news about the passing of one of our colleagues due to coronavirus. All of these problems have made doctors and nurses very vulnerable and has added extra pressure to the already heavy burden of the medical staff’s round-the-clock work. The error we made was not to correctly predict the duration of the epidemic, and some re-openings… intensified this problem. We all know that we’re headed for a tough battle in the fall.” (Source: IRNA, August 28)
In Tehran, a member of the scientific board of Beheshti University said, “The medical staff have been providing services for months without break and they are very tired. The high death rates of coronavirus has added to the exhaustion and in some cases caused depression in doctors and nurses. The spirit of the medical staff lifts with patients recovering and they become sad with every life lost.” (Source: Mehr News Agency, August 28)
The caretaker of Alborz Medical Sciences University confirmed eight coronavirus deaths on Friday, according to the semi-officials ISNA news agency. “The number of coronavirus deaths in this province has reached 925,” the caretaker said.
“The number of Covid-19 cases in [Kohgiluyeh & Boyer Ahmed] province was 150 percent higher than the country’s average. Currently the cities of Boyer Ahmed, Kohgiluyeh, Charam and Lendeh are considered red zones,” said the deputy dean of Kohgiluyeh & Boyer Ahmed Medical Sciences University on Thursday, according to the Tasnim news agency, an outlet associated to the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) Quds Force.
Iran coronavirus outbreak death toll interactive map
