Islamic Republic Health Minister estimated Iran will reach the peak of its sixth COVID-19 wave in the next 2 weeks. After about 60 days, the manipulated stats of the Ministry indicates the daily COVID-19 death toll to enter the 3-digit territory. Hospitals are filled and parents struggle to find a vacant bed for their Omicron-infected child! Head of Children’s Hospital in Ahvaz confirmed the overwhelming number of cases among children, even in under 6month-old infants. Dr. Alisamir added family clusters have increased.
Deputy Head of Tehran Corona Combating Committee reiterated the peak of sixth wave will be reached in the next 2-4 weeks. Dr. Tavakoli reported 160-200% increase in COVID-19 cases in the capital in the past 2 weeks and the rate being 10-15% every day. He added, more than 13,000 went to hospitals with COVID-19 symptoms across Tehran province in the past 24 hours. He provided other stats too: 5% hospitalizations, 4% death rate, and 20% of hospitalizations being in children under 10. Dr. Tavakoli urged the government to close in-person classes at schools. Mashhad Medical University criticized the government and officials for calling Omicron a “mild virus” and reported COVID-19 cases have increased by 3 times.
While Secretary of Epidemiology Committee at the National COVID-19 Task Force warns if the current path continues, the government would lose control of the virus and deaths will reach 1,000 a day, the regime continues to hold religious gatherings, its anniversary parade on February 11 and schools remain open.
On the other hand, Islamic Republic FDA claims 2 “domestic” companies are ready to start their clinical trials for “Omicron specific vaccines!” The “homegrown vaccines” have failed miserably and have not been able to produce their promised doses, none of them have provided their “clinical trials results” yet despite being used in Iran, and none have received international recognition/approval.
According to official definition of “full vaccination” and Ministry of Health data, since February 9, only 19,973,438 (23.77% of Iran population) are vaccinated against COVID-19 with these vaccines. It is estimated that more than 53 million Iranians are at risk of contracting Omicron. The majority of shots used in Iran are the ineffective Sinopharm and failed COVIran Barekat. WHO recommends 3 doses of Sinopharm to be effective against Delta but studies have found the vaccine ineffective against Omicron. It is worth mentioning, Khamenei banned US and UK made vaccines in January to promote his own foundation’s COVIran Barekat, and promoted it with charade of “administering it” in front of cameras for the 3 doses. The “Supreme Leader’s” decisions have led to a deep mistrust between people and the healthcare system of the regime.
The Ministry of Health Spokesperson claimed 104 have died of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours and 39,819 tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Number of daily tests performed in the country continue to decline despite experts advice to have a more active case finding. Active cases begin to rise too. Professor of Epidemiology at Tehran University believes these numbers must be multiplied by 7 and Civil Registration Organization data show more than 319,000 have died of the disease since February 2020. Graphs illustrate the ongoing crisis in Iran and forming of the new wave.
R0: 2.32
Total: 6,619,085 (+39,819)
Dead: 132,934 (+104)
Recovered: 6,171,587
Critical: 2,615 (+220)
Active Cases: 314,564 (+21,036)
Total Tests: 45,505,835
Cover: Mohammadreza Bolandi
