Khuzestan Governor says premature reopening of wedding venues and high risk businesses has caused resurgence of coronavirus in the province. Shariatmadari said number of cases and hospitalizations soared in the past 2 weeks, and “we have to reimpose some of the restrictions.” He added, Shadegan is being quarantined and its entrances are blocked, traffic is prohibited and everything is closed. Ahvaz Medical University reported 48% increase in cases and admissions in the past week in Khuzestan. Head of the university said the spread of coronavirus has accelerated and 3 hospitals are added to the cycle! Abolnejadian predicted the number of COVID-19 deaths will go up in the next few days. He added, in Dasht-e-Azadegan, infections multiplied 12 times (1180%) compared to the week before. He asked residents of the province to stay at home so “we don’t experience a peak again.”
Shiraz Medical University recorded an uptrend in cases and walk-ins too. Officials report number of yellow counties increasing from 4 to 18 in “recent days.” Governor of Kohgiloyeh-Boyerahmad said infections and walk-ins are increasing in the province and more restrictions are needed. Kalantari added “young people infected with the virus are on the rise,” asking everybody to follow the protocols and refrain from gatherings! He continued, “the fourth peak would be deadlier and more expensive for the province.” Hamedan got updated to “yellow” from “blue” status by increasing number of hospitalizations. Qazvin Governor said “premature reopening of businesses is the best gift to coronavirus,” while announcing the rise in cases across the province.
National Task Force Spokesman warned 8 provinces showing an uptrend. He said, Hormozgan, Khuzestan, Yazd, Gilan, Mazandaran, Golestan, West Azerbaijan, and Lorestan must be more careful with their situation. Raisi added Tehran and Alborz’s yellow status is fragile and could be changed to orange any moment. He emphasized traveling to northern provinces and other touristy cities is forbidden. However, implementation of travel restrictions have been a cause for concern for almost a year!
Vice Speaker of Islamic Consultative Assembly claimed 25% of tests performed on travelers arriving in Iran are positive and 90% of them don’t follow quarantine rules. According to Raisi, arriving travelers must quarantine for 14 days in their homes but there has never been any policy to observe them. Ministry of Health officials have confirmed 7 cases of UK variant of coronavirus in Iran so far. However, some health experts have argued the number could be higher. The laboratory equipment to diagnose the fast-spreading variant only exist in Tehran and not other cities.
While Rouhani says the vaccination of “vulnerable groups” is to start this week with the few thousand Russian Sputnik V doses, the Islamic Republic Ambassador to Russia said a team from Ministry of Health will be visiting Russia to begin collaboration to make Sputnik V in Iran!
Sima Sadat Lari provided her daily undercounted and manipulated figures. Ministry of Health Spokesperson announced 76 COVID-19 deaths and 6,983 coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours in Iran. She mentioned the names of 36 “orange” counties which are scattered all over the country, from 12 provinces. Testing remains in the 55,000 range, far away the promised 100,000 tests a day. Active cases continue to rise for the fifth consecutive days.
Basic Reproduction Rate (R0) and graphs remain the best predictors of past, current and future waves of coronavirus in Iran in the past 12 months.
R0: 4.17
Total: 1,459,370 (+6,983)
Dead: 58,412 (+76)
Recovered: 1,247,374
Critical: 3,802 (-17)
Admitted: 153,584 (+853)
Tests: 9,612,033 (11.5% of the population, assuming each test was performed on 1 person)
Cover: Shayan Hajinajaf – Artman, a 4-year-old cancer patient
