Surprise surprise! Kianush Jahanpur, the Ministry of Health Spokesman, attended a video press conference, after not having one on Thursdays and Fridays in the past few weeks following their “normalization” policy. However, it looks like Coronavirus crisis flaring up in the South is messing up the only plan they’ve had during the entire time COVID-19 has hit Iranians, which have been a bunch of ifs, buts, wishes and nothing else!
However, in this “press conference” he went against all his previous statements and said, “We can’t say the country is in “controlling” stage of the virus until Khuzestan and other provinces in critical condition show declining numbers. However, most provinces are controlled.” The Ministry of Health has stopped providing separate stats for each province from March 22, and that has been a great help for them in showing the trend however they like. But the reality remains, the crisis is far away from being “controlled” or “contained”.
He continued, “We are against any traffic control rules which would push people towards using public transportation in Tehran. Tehran doesn’t have a stable condition.” Another direct contradiction to what he had said days ago about the capital. The city officials had said earlier that traffic rules will be effective after Eid Fitr holiday, May 25!
He said, “The number of admissions have decreased significantly compared to Feb-Mar. And it continues to to decline. We hope this trend continues. The number of new confirmed cases may be increasing but most of them are not being admitted and it’s because of a more active case finding.” The number of active cases have been increasing and not decreasing according to their own fake and manipulated numbers. We have also debunked his repeated rhetoric of “more active case finding” by showing that the number of tests done every day has not changed!
He continued, “There are specific criteria for healthcare staff died in line of duty to be considered as “martyr”, and so far, according to the head of Iran Medical Council, there have been 103.” However, there have been reports of more than 130 physicians, nurses and other healthcare staff to have died of COVID-19 while at work. Deputy Health Minister, Jan Babaei, announced 10,000 healthcare staff contracted the disease and some have died.
Since the beginning of the outbreak in Iran, Ministry of Health started hiring some nurses and other healthcare workers to help with the crisis under an 89-day contract and promised them to be hired permanently when the “permits are issued.” But now, after enslaving them, they’re booted and the “permits” haven’t been issued!
2,392 new cases and 66 more deaths in the past 24 hours are confirmed by the Ministry of Health. Interestingly, the number of deaths doesn’t change that much, it has remained in the same range since mid-April! Graphs, reproductive rate (R0) and growth factors speak volume!
R0: 1.23
Total: 129,341 (+2,392)
Dead: 7,249 (+64)
Healed: 100,564
Critical: 2,655 (-18)
Admitted: 21,546 (+588)
Tests: 746,045 (Number of labs wasn’t mentioned in today’s news. Officials may have finally figured out there are discrepancies when they lie.)
Iran International Death Toll: 13,193 (Last updated on April 25)
