Omicron has been unleashed in Iran with COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths on the rise. Hospitals in all provinces are filled with patients. Hospitals in Bushehr and other southern provinces are on high alert. Khuzestan has no empty bed left. Mashhad hospitalizations have increased 2 times in 10 days. Kohgiloyeh-Boyerahmad reported increasing deaths. In Fars, close to 1,000 are admitted. ICU beds in Khuzestan have become scarce, especially NICU. Semnan reports 17% of admissions being in children while cases are soared through the roof. Markazi‘s NICU are full too. And Kurdistan province joins the “red” zone.
Healthcare staff are infected more and more on a daily basis. Experts believe “catastrophic days” are ahead in the next 1-2 months, especially with low vaccination rate in the 3rd dose.
According to official definition of “full vaccination” and Ministry of Health data, since February 9, only 20,245,434 (24.10% 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 114 have died of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours and 38,757 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 320,000 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: 6,657,842 (+38,757)
Dead: 133,048 (+114)
Recovered: 6,191,746
Critical: 2,724 (+109)
Active Cases: 333,048 (+18,484)
Total Tests: 45,607,127
Cover: Fatemeh Rahimavian
