Khuzestan’s coronavirus situation is beyond critical with one hospital reaching full capacity after the other. Ahvaz Medical University reports transforming CCU and normal beds into ICU beds to be able to respond to increasing number of critical patients. Abolnejadian said there are 350 ICU beds allocated to COVID-19 patients across the province but some cities have reported shortage of beds, including Abadan and Ahvaz. COVID-19 is ravaging through Iran while Islamic Republic officials continue to hide the truth and use their propaganda network to lie to people.
While there was report of a patient with UK variant infection in Khuzestan on January 27 as the 7th case in the country, there was no restrictions in place for any of those cases or provinces and the government chose to hide additional cases. Today, many provinces began denying any case of the fast-spreading virus but continue reporting increasing cases of COVID-19 and hospitalizations.
Health officials, including the Dr. Mardani, a member of National Task Force, admit the next wave has begun in the country. Traffic police and National Task Force have banned traveling to tourist hot spots from a week ago. On the other hand, tourism officials say there’s no restrictions on people traveling with boats, planes and trains. Teymouri, Deputy Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts in Tourism Affairs, confirms there’s no restrictions and tourism offices are open across the country.
Tour guides report there are ways to get “negative PCR tests” without taking a test and travel to wherever, “there’s no proper implementation of rules. Everything is possible with some money.” Travel agencies say “there has been no directive not to issue tickets or book hotels for travelers.” This is just a sample of how chaotic Islamic Republic manages the COVID-19 crisis and use its propaganda network to blame people for everything.
Moreover, Director of Students Organization announced college students can attend schools in person for their practical and laboratory classes, except in red and orange cities. That’s contradictory to what was previously reported that National Task Force will be reassessing the criteria for “color” of cities. And if the “colors” may change every week, how students will attend classes for a semester is a question with no answer.
An alleged “top secret” letter surfaced on social media claiming the Ministry of Health wrote a letter to head of Khamenei’s Office informing him of ordering 312 doses of Pfizer vaccine for the Office members. FDA Spokesman, Director of Customs, and Deputy Health Minister in Health Affairs denied the authenticity of the said letter, claimed no Pfizer vaccine has been imported and nobody outside the priorities have been vaccinated. The attention given to the letter by officials is intriguing. Before the letter was published, there were rumors that Khamenei and high ranking officials of the regime have received the jab.
Meanwhile, local reports show each Moderna vaccine dose is sold in black market for 11 million Toman (about $420) and Sputnik V is 2.5 to 5 million Toman (about $100-$200). Sputnik V is the only vaccine officially imported into the country by Mahan Air (IRGC affiliated) and all US made vaccines have been banned by Khamenei!
Sima Sadat Lari presented her daily manipulated numbers. Ministry of Health Spokesperson announced 62 COVID-19 deaths in the past 24 hours in Iran while 7,390 tested positive for coronavirus. Dr. Ghanei, Head of Scientific Subcommittee of National Task Force, claimed increasing number of daily tests has caused rise in number of cases. He also claimed, more tests per day could be done as well. He said, the death rate is 2% and 10-15% of cases are hospitalized. For today’s report, 62 deaths is 2% of 3,100 cases, and 568 have been admitted across Iran, 10% of 5,680! Additionally, officials had promised there would be 100,000 daily tests “soon”, while it has remained in the same range for months.
Graphs vividly depict the formation of the new coronavirus wave, active cases keep rising close to the 1 year mark and as most countries have begun immunizing their population, but Iran.
R0: 4.17
Total: 1,518,263 (+7,390)
Dead: 58,945 (+62)
Recovered: 1,298,023
Critical: 3,709 (-11)
Admitted: 161,295 (+1,030)
Tests: 10,048,871 (12.1% of the population, assuming each test was performed on 1 person)
Cover: Fatemeh Aali
