The novel coronavirus keeps on ravaging the country while Islamic Republic keeps on watching and trying to lie about the numbers and stats, and of course, praising what a “great job” they’ve done to “control” the virus so far. Sima Sadat Lari announced 197 deaths and 2,674 new cases since yesterday while the same 26 provinces remain in their respective “red” or “alarming” categories! The number of tests remain in the same range while the number of daily infections and active cases increase.
Today, July 31, 2020, was both Friday and “Eid Adha”, which is a great deal for all Muslims around the world. That meant Khamenei, as the self-proclaimed “leader of world’s Muslims”, had to say a few words to intimidate US, the “Great Satan.” He did say a lot, but all were predictable repeated rhetoric. He admitted US sanctions have been effective and are designed to put people in front of the regime! He also said the final say regarding Moharram is with the National Task Force, which he had already talked to and gave his order! It is worth mentioning, that since the outbreak began, Khamenei has canceled all his public appearances and he’s been seen wearing a mask on a few occasions but not today!
In an orchestrated attempt, like Khamenei has sensed his ruling days might be over, all Friday Prayers Sermons had the same message regurgitated by Khamenei’s representatives: Not everything is good, but that doesn’t mean we should protest against the regime, and people love Khamenei. That message was repeated in “white” areas where Friday Prayers are allowed. The regime hopes its propaganda machine could work in its favor, but holding any kind of gatherings in any region in the country when there is no travel restrictions, would cause an outbreak sooner than later. In any case, poverty, corruption, lies and coronavirus have made people tired of the regime to the point that they wouldn’t trust a word they say. COVID-19 status could be the catalyst or spark for another round of uprising in Iran like November 2019?
The shortage of masks and other medical supplies continue to cause deaths among healthcare workers. Saeed Namaki had promised the shortcomings would be addressed soon but nothing has changed. Basic Reproduction Rate (R0) which according to epidemiologists is one of the best indicators of virus spread, not only has never been below 1 in Iran but it has been increasing in the past few weeks. The Islamic Republic reopened the country when R0 was above 1.2! The situation got out of control and daily death toll tripled at times, even based on the suspicious and widely undercounted data by Ministry of Health. But now, it’s allowing gatherings where according to its Health Minister, social distancing is impossible to be held from August 20, Moharram, when R0 is passing 1.4! In the meantime, other countries in the world, including UK are reconsidering and pausing their reopening plans. Growth factors and other graphs depict the uptrend in the country as well.
R0: 1.40
Total: 304,204 (+2,674)
Dead: 16,766 (+197)
Healed: 263,519
Critical: 4,021 (-20)
Admitted: 23,761 (+158)
Tests: 2,456,909
