Deputy Health Minister in Treatment Affairs emphasizes the fifth wave of COVID-19, dominated by Delta variant, has not finished yet and some provinces still have high number of cases and hospitalizations. Dr. Jan-Babaei asked people to avoid gatherings at all cost. The undercounted data by the Ministry of Health indicate 36.7% increase in coronavirus infections in Iran in the first days of this week from the last weekend. Hospitalizations remain high and 1.79 persons per minute are admitted. These signs could confirm the health experts’ prediction about the sixth wave of coronavirus outbreak in the country.
Despite all that, the Islamic Republic officials insist on Arbaeen gatherings and the mourning ceremonies of the last 10 days of Safar! According to Mashhad authorities, “Imam Reza” shrine would be ready to receive “devoted mourners” and Khamenei’s representative has allowed an entire length of a street to be used for “Arbaeen march!”
Additionally, thousands were sent to Iraq, including the much needed healthcare staff whose presence could save lives in Iran! This is an example of how some people were sent to “mourn Imam Hossein in Iraq” and probably bring Lambda or other strains back to the country. Imagine such cramped space with so many people and without any mask. Civil Aviation Agency official confirmed the video and said “the people aboard the aircraft were not ordinary citizens but people who would serve the mourners in Arbaeen rituals!”
On the other hand, schools are being reopened from Saturday, September 25, even though none of the students are fully vaccinated, despite Islamic Republic officials’ claims. Many parents are hesitant to inoculate their kids with an unverified vaccine like Sinopharm, but the theocratic regime keeps pushing the vaccine and 12m doses of it are being imported specifically for 12 to 18-year-old students. According to officials, 5m doses of Sinopharm will be imported tomorrow, and 60m will arrive in October!
After announcing that regime will also purchase Pfizer and J&J vaccines, officials have been trying to cover up the fact that Khamenei banning the vaccines was not just about the origin of the vaccines but who the manufacturer was! They explain there would be no Moderna but Pfizer and J&J will be purchased from Belgium, not American companies! Dr. Mohammadi also said it may never happen, it depends on how well the “foreigners keep their promises!” He confirmed the 2m doses will be administered as booster doses to healthcare staff. However, Deputy Health Minister in Public Health claimed they will be mainly for pregnant women and if anything remains, will be used as booster for healthcare workers.
Ministry of Health claimed total of 46,899,434 shots have been administered in Iran since February 9 and only 14,648,891 (17.43% of population) have received both shots of the ineffective vaccines. The Spokesperson also asserted 286 died of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours and 17,433 tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Civil Registration Organization data indicate more than 280,000 have died of the disease since February 2020. Professor Holakoui of Tehran University believes the official statistics must be multiplied by 7 to reach closer to reality on the ground. Graphs illustrate the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe for more than 19 months in Iran.
R0: 2.38
Total: 5,477,229 (+17,433)
Dead: 118,191 (+286)
Recovered: 4,846,771
Critical: 6,632 (-29)
Active Cases: 512,267 (-10,401)
Total Tests: 31,331,261
Cover: Seyed Khalil Mousavi
