Active COVID-19 cases in Iran are on the rise again, signaling the formation of the sixth wave. Gilan officials reported increasing numbers for the fifth day in a row, with Rasht experiencing 12% growth in hospitalizations from last week. Kohgiloyeh-Boyerahmad is on the same boat. 390 are hospitalized in Mazandaran hospitals, 1,717 are in Fars hospitals including 249 in the past 24 hours alone! Head of Shiraz Medical University announced a surge in ER patients compared to the weeks before. North Khorasan and South Khorasan join the list of provinces entering the sixth wave.
Former head of “rapid response team” of the Ministry of Health said he has no idea why the team was dissolved and warned that the decision would have severe implications. Dr. Souri confirmed COVID-19 breakout in several provinces and said the crisis mismanagement has led to dissolving his team. He speculated there are new variants circulating in the country and said, “unfortunately, we don’t do enough sequencing and don’t know exactly what variants are in the country.” The epidemiologist reiterated other experts in mentioning Arbaeen and other religious gatherings as one of the reasons behind the sixth wave. Dr. Souri rebuked the “coloring map” criteria which is based on hospitalizations and said “nobody listens to experts’ advice.” He added the pandemic is not over and “even though they trumpet mass vaccination,” it is not enough to announce the end of the crisis. He called the propaganda tactic of the regime and premature reopening of schools a “repeated ignorance” which has caused Iran to experience “so many waves!”
Dr. Sedaghat, head of ICU in a Mashhad hospital confirmed the results of the study conducted in Shiraz which proved the Chinese Sinopharm is only 5% effective in preventing infection with Delta variant. He added, “but the vaccine can prevent symptomatic COVID-19 is 56% effective.” That is the lowest among WHO approved vaccines, but more than 81% of shots used in Iran have been Sinopharm. Dr. Sedaghat reiterated other health and medical professionals that “full vaccination” meaning receiving both doses of a vaccine, is still too low in the country.
According to the official data, since February 9, only 25,156,987 (29.94% of population) are fully vaccinated. But Islamic Republic officials continue pushing to reopen schools by early to mid-November! And despite all warnings, Tehran Governor announced Friday Prayers will be held across the capital Friday, October 22.
The Ministry of Health Spokesperson claimed 181 have died of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours and 11,844 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 298,000 have died of the disease since February 2020. Graphs illustrate the ongoing crisis in Iran and forming of the new wave.
R0: 2.10
Total: 5,796,659 (+11,844)
Dead: 124,256 (+181)
Recovered: 5,333,304
Critical: 4,693 (-76)
Active Cases: 339,099 (+2,467)
Total Tests: 34,115,587
