Updated @23:05 local time: China is sending a chartered plane to return its “stranded” citizens from Iran. The priority has been given to Chinese in Qom.
Anybody else sees the irony in that?
Updated @19:15 local time: Singapore bans travelers who were in Iran, Italy and South Korea in the past 14 days, starting March 4.
Updated @19:05 local time: Iran International reports death toll at 428.
Updated @19:00 local time: Of 835 new cases since yesterday:
Tehran:468, Markazi:56, Gilan:55, Qom:52, Isfahan:52, Alborz:36, East Azerbaijan:34, Qazvin:29, Semnan:17, Fars:8, Mazandaran:7, Hamedan:5, Khuzestan:4, Khorasan Razavi:3, Zanjan:2, Ardebil:2, Lorestan:2, Sistan&Baluchestan:1, Yazd:1, Kermanshah:1
For the second day in a row, no breakdown of provinces was given by the Health Ministry official at his press conference. He announced 835 confirmed cases from yesterday, and 11 more dead, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 2336 and 77 deaths. This could be because all 31 provinces have Coronavirus patients.
He mentioned 435 people have healed from COVID-19. This is the highest number of positive tests in a day since officials confirmed the first cases 13 days ago, although we know they had hid it for such long time.
He added, “8532 cases have come to hospitals and 5737 were tested.” Obviously, 2795 were not tested, but why? We know hospitals have been tuning back many people saying they’re at full capacity. We know officials and their families were tested before anybody else. Based on our experience with Islamic Republic regime, everything the officials say are lies!
The situation is getting worse every day. One of WHO workers has been tested positive for Coronavirus. This alone should show the travesty of the conditions in Iran. While officials are still lying about the numbers, let’s have a look at some of the published videos:
Internet was interrupted for an hour, at 4AM local time, for an hour. It’s quite possible the regime is trying to test their “national internet” or “intranet”, because they’re worried about the news of this catastrophe to get out, just like what they did in November protests. And it is confirmed that Wikipedia Farsi was blocked in the country for almost 24hours.
While we’ve been saying there is a shortage of masks and disinfectants in the country, the government kept denying this fact. In the past 2 days they have asked for help from WHO and other countries, guess what was in their list: N95 and three-layer masks, disinfectants, and PPE gears. Also, they have banned export of alcohol.
Mohammad Mir Mohammad passed away from the disease, making him the highest ranking official to die of COVID-19 to date. He was a member of Expediency Discernment Council, Supreme Leader advisors.
WHO’s team of experts and medical supplies have arrived in Iran. But the main question remains, are these going to help ordinary people or used by officials, hoard by some selfish ignorant high ranking IRGC officer and sold to people at a much higher price.
We hope this crisis ends sooner than later but unfortunately, the Islamic Republic doesn’t have the capability or intention of doing it.
Photo by: The Independent