For Coronavirus Summary till Feb 23, check this post.
Yesterday, two people died of Coronavirus in Qom due to government ignorance, and today reports are coming in left and right. Some are official and some are from witnesses. In Iran, the Islamic Republic regime controls the media, so what they say cannot be trusted but at the same time, the witness accounts may be biased. We will update this post accordingly to make sure at least nothing is swept under the rug!
Official:
Feb 22, 2020 (ET)
Unconfirmed: Mohsen Hashemi, Tehran City Council’s Chair, has contracted the disease by being in contact with Mojtaba Rahmanzadeh. It has not been confirmed yet.
Update: Mojtaba Rahmanzadeh is a confirmed case of COVID-19 now. The spokesman for his office confirms.
Mojtaba Rahmanzadeh, Mayor of Tehran Area 13 may have Coronavirus (at least a suspected case). Today, the spokesman for his office said: He’s been having severe cold for 2 weeks and is admitted to the hospital for respiratory distress but he’s feeling better now.
There are some concern (hope) that he might have transmitted the disease to Mohsen Hashemi, Tehran City Council Chair, or even Mohammad Javad Zarif (Foreign Minister) in their recent meetings. It’s customary in Iran to shake hands and kiss cheeks sometimes.
Feb 21,2020 (ET)
Ministry of Education has announced schools will be closed in the following cities/provinces, Saturday Feb 22.
Tehran, Alborz, Ahvaz, Mashhad, Arak, Hamedan, Qazvin, Kermanshah, Abadan, Mahshahr, Saveh, Khomein, Kohkiloye and Boyerahmad, Shiraz, Semnan, East Azerbaijan, Ardebil.
BBC reports several citizens have been arrested because of their video/audio files published on social media. A 43 year old from Kurdistan was arrested due to his video from admitting a suspected Corona patient at a hospital. Two from Bandar Anzali, 24 and 30 year old were arrested on the charges of “spreading rumors about Coronavirus on social media”. In Dehloran, Ilam Province, also a person arrested for his/her audio file being posted on Twitter. The producers and reports of the following video from Babol were also arrested. The nurse confirmed 4 Corona patients being admitted at Rouhani Hospital in Babol.
Turkish Health Minister says in a talk with his Iranian counterpart, he’s been told there are 758 suspected cases of Coronavirus, 18 confirmed and 5 dead. This information hasn’t been made public by Iranian government in the hopes of maximum turnout at the poll stations on Feb 21, but that didn’t work out well for them either.
The Health Ministery of Iran said there are Coronavirus cases all over the country.
Canada and Lebanon each report a case of positive Coronavirus in patients with recent travels to Iran.
Feb 20,2020 (ET)
Al Arabiya reports Kuwait Airways suspending all flights to Iran due to the Coronavirus cases in the country.
Iraq #Kurdistan won’t let their citizens going to Iran and anybody returning home will be quarantined for 14 days.
Iraqi airlines stop their flights to Iran after the news of COVID-19 cases and deaths came out.
Dr. Jahanpur, Ministry of Health Spokesman: Two more cases in Qom and one in Arak are confirmed. Definite cases of COVID-19 in Iran so far: 5. The patient in Arak is a physician.
IRNA: Head of Emergency Medical Services, a government agency, issued a memo prohibiting transferring suspected COVID-19 patients by “private ambulance services”.
IRNA: Official government news agency, confirms the two deaths and reports 5 suspected cases have been transferred to Tehran, from Qom.
Deputy Health Minister: Coronavirus is no more deadly than flu, people should not worry. Forghani hospital is designated to suspected Coronavirus patients.
Mahan Air Website: You can still book flights to China, and there are incoming flights from China.
Iraq’s Ministry of Health asks the government to close off their border with Iran, in fear of spreading COVID-19.
Witnesses:
Feb 21, 2020 (ET)
Unconfirmed: One person died of Coronavirus in a medical emergency center in Saveh, 62miles southwest of Tehran with a population of more than 310,000.
ICU of Masih Daneshvari has 10 cases and shortage of supplies.
Feb 20, 2020 (ET)
Two new cases are confirmed and admitted into ICU at Masih Daneshvari Hospital in Tehran. The patients are 60 and 25 years old. The person who posted this on Instagram thinks the virus has arrived Iran at least 2 weeks ago.
Babol Hospital, north of Iran, has admitted two cases of suspected COVID-19. A video shared by nurses at the ward shows no HazMat suits or any isolation is being implemented. The nurse uses “espand” to sterilize the ward, saying this is the best they’ve got to combat the disease.
A metro station in Tehran was closed off today to transfer a suspected patient of Coronavirus to the hospital.
VahidOnline Telegram Channel: One of the most credible citizen reporters: A 64 year old who had no prior illness or travel history to China, is confirmed dead at Bou Ali Hospital in Tehran as the result of Coronavirus. The medical residents are complaining why there is no quarantine or isolation of suspected patients. The death toll is rising and officials just say, “don’t worry”!!
Iran International: Reports a 35yo female is dead in Qom’s Imam Reza Hospital as the result of Coronavirus. Death toll rises to 9 in this city alone.
Three cases with positive Coronavirus test results are in a hospital in Mashhad, north east of Iran. It was reported in internal Telegram channel of Mashhad University of Medicine and Medical Sciences.
There are 3 hospitals in Qom quarantined for patients suspected of Coronavirus. Kaamkar, Forghani and Beheshti. A person working at a hospital asks everybody to use a mask. However, masks are scarce, because IR regime has been sending millions of masks to China since January.
A patient has been admitted in Baghiatallah Hospital in Tehran, suspected of Coronavirus.