Khuzestan’s coronavirus situation reaches a new high! Governor office and health authorities issue warnings and quarantine 2 cities. Head of Ahvaz Medical University said, “Khuzestan has experienced 2 peaks so far. The first one in summer which was worse than the one in fall. If this path continues, we will have a worse wave than summer! We’re really worried the next one will be a hard wave.” He added, cases have increased 48%, hospitalizations 50% and deaths 12% in the past week. “Even though the number of deaths would show itself in 2-3 weeks from now.” Abolnejadian emphasized the average age of patients has decreased and more under 40s are becoming ill. He continued, “any cold should be considered COVID-19 until proven otherwise.”
Kermanshah officials said the “next peak alarm has gone off,” with soaring number of walk-ins and admissions. Zanjan, Fars and Ilam report the same trend. COVID-19 cases in Hormozgan has soared in recent days forcing officials to quarantine some cities in the southern province. Isfahan situation is reported fragile. Northern provinces remain critical. South Khorasan, North Khorasan and Khorasan Razavi have recorded increasing number of cases.
According to officials, tomorrow vaccination starts in some provinces while others may receive the Sputnik V by Friday. ICU workers are top priority for the few thousand doses imported on February 4. Head of FDA has traveled to Russia to sign agreement to collaborate on producing the Russian coronavirus vaccine. Jalali, Islamic Republic Ambassador to Russia, said the next 3 batches of vaccine will arrive in Tehran by February 18, February 28 and late March. He confirmed the Russian technology to manufacture vaccine and other medicines will be imported in the next 2 months. That would coincide with the supposed date of COVIran Barekat roll out. We had reported before, Sputnik V is the best choice for Islamic Republic to rebrand it as an “Iranian vaccine.” According to former Health Minister Deputy in Research and Technology, the technology of coronavirus vaccine production doesn’t exist in Iran. Dr. Masoud Mardani shared the same opinion.
While in Russia, Shanehsaz, head of FDA, claimed 98% of needed medicines are manufactured in Iran! Meanwhile, Deputy head of Shiraz Medical University said there are problems in providing 107 medicines for patients. He said 80-90% of drugs are made in Iran. He said part of the problem has been hospitals’ debt to pharmaceutical companies.
Ministry of Health Spokesperson presented her daily undercounted and manipulated data. According to Sima Sadat Lari 67 have died of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours in Iran while 7,321 tested positive for the novel coronavirus. That’s the highest case load since December 17, 2020. Testing remains in the 55,000 tests a day. Graphs depict the formation of new wave. Active cases keep rising.
R0: 4.18
Total: 1,473,756 (+7,321)
Dead: 58,536 (+67)
Recovered: 1,260,045
Critical: 3,778 (-11)
Admitted: 155,175 (+763)
Tests: 9,722,969 (11.7% of the population, assuming each test was performed on 1 person)
Cover: Masoumeh Aliakbar
