Ministry of Health Spokesperson announced 212 deaths and 2,434 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours. As usual, she mentioned the same 25 provinces in “red” and “alarming” status while nothing has improved anywhere in the country. Hospitals still at their worst condition, shortage of masks still there and people not being able to afford if there is any. The healthcare staff struggle to keep up with the flood of patients throughout Iran and as usual, nobody takes responsibility but blaming people for all of it. Islamic Republic still has no plan but to send more people into slaughter house by holding Moharram mourning ceremonies and national exams!
Nahid Khodakarami, a member of Tehran City Council, dropped another bomb contradicting Ministry of Health’s stats about death and dire situation in Tehran. While Sima Sadat Lari keeps mentioning Tehran in the alarming category of provinces, Khodakarami said all ICU beds in Tehran hospitals are occupied by COVID-19 patients and 234 have died of the disease in the past 2 days, in Tehran alone! That’s 117 deaths per day, while Iraj Harirchi, Deputy Health Minister had previously said 5-10% of admitted patients die in Tehran, considering his 600 patients, that means 30-60 deaths in the past 2 day. It also means, Tehran has had 55% of total deaths in the country in the same time period, when it only has about 11% of Iran’s population.
On the other hand, Dr Zali, head of Tehran Corona Combating Committee, reported 684 admissions in the past 24 hours, 121 of which were admitted to intensive care, almost 18% of the total. He also said 640 were discharged from hospitals which is still less than the admitted, overwhelming hospitals and exhausted healthcare staff. Dr Minoo Mohraz, a member of National Task Force, also warned about any kind of gatherings, from restaurants to mourning and weddings, saying the virus has accelerated in its spread. She also confirmed Tehran situation is dangerously critical. She also asked for the national university entrance exam to be postponed or canceled, as any kind of gathering is like a Pitri dish.
Hossein Ali Shahriari, head of “Parliament’s Health Commission”, wrote a letter to Islamic Republic’s President, Hassan Rouhani, asking for giving more authority to Governors to decide about restrictions, providing free/cheap masks to families in need, being prepared for fall and winter, warning about burnt out healthcare staff and overwhelmed hospitals, cancelling of all national exams, and many other things, a letter which only serves as a symbolic gesture telling his constituents that he’s done his part! Otherwise, he’s a “representative” who has the power to allocate more budgets to the healthcare system but instead he and his colleagues are Khamenei and IRGC’s puppets, giving millions of Euros to IRGC Quds and Armed Forces instead!
Even based on the highly suspicious and manipulated data provided by the regime, Basic Reproduction Rate (R0) and graphs show the ongoing unstoppable crisis. Critical cases and admissions have insreased significantly in the past 24 hours, another indication to the severity of the situation.
R0: 1.36
Total: 293,606 (+2,434)
Dead: 15,912 (+212)
Healed: 255,144
Critical: 3,819 (+124)
Admitted: 22,550 (+514)
Tests: 2,353,532 (Number of labs wasn’t mentioned in today’s news. Officials may have finally figured out there are discrepancies when they lie.)
Cover: Rahim Bani Assad Azad/ISNA Photo
