COVID-19 keeps its momentum and provinces continue reporting spikes of cases and hospitalizations. Lorestan officials announce the possibility of the sixth wave, West Azerbaijan reports increasing number of hospitalizations which has led to more “red” cities across the province. Fars’ daily death toll remains high and hospital admissions are in the 3-digit territory. More than 140 tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Zanjan, in the past 24 hours. Authorities had warned of the sixth wave in province. Gilan continues to struggle with high admissions. Mazandaran is on the same boat.
Analysis of official data, which are believed to be 1/7 of reality, on the weekly basis, indicate the hospitalizations and death toll are on the rise in Ilam, Semnan, Kurdistan, Yazd, South Khorasan, Kerman, Qazvin, Ardabil. Zanjan, Mazandaran, Fars, Gilan, Bushehr, Khorasan Razavi, Golestan and Sistan-Baluchestan. That is 16 of 31 provinces in Iran.
While Islamic Republic has reopened schools despite teachers, schools staff, parents and students opposition, reopened the borders despite health experts warning about Delta Plus in neighboring countries and Russia, and is rolling out the “smart quarantine” despite red flags against premature reopenings, vaccination rate continues to slow down across Iran. The Health Minister would brag about “breaking records” while only 42,193,734 (50.23% of population) have received 2 doses of these vaccines since February 9, 2021. The majority has received the Chinese Sinopharm which WHO recommends 3 doses as “full vaccination!” Its inefficacy against the Delta variant has been proven and despite being unapproved for the 12-17 age range, it is being used on students.
On the other hand, the regime refuses to lift the ban on traffic at night! The billion dollar source of income for the theocratic regime has been criticized by health experts and police commanders. Today, another high-ranking traffic police official asked the National COVID-19 Task Force to cancel the ban.
The Ministry of Health Spokesperson claimed 125 have died of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours and 6,143 tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Professor of Epidemiology at Tehran University believes these numbers must be multiplied by 7 and Civil Registration Organization data show more than 305,000 have died of the disease since February 2020. Graphs illustrate the ongoing crisis in Iran and forming of the new wave.
R0: 2.04
Total: 6,037,718 (+6,143)
Dead: 128,167 (+125)
Recovered: 5,695,949
Critical: 3,510 (-23)
Active Cases: 213,602 (-6,473)
Total Tests: 37,038,991
Cover: Fatemeh Rahimavian
