Medics carry a Coronavirus patient in Iran (IranWire)
UPDATE, 1030 GMT:
The Health Ministry has raised the Coronavirus death toll to 194 from 145.
The Ministry said there are now 6,566 confirmed cases.
A medical official has warned that 700,000 people in Iran will contract Coronavirus if the regime does not step up its measures to deal with the outbreak.
The official, part of the National Headquarters to Contain and Fight Coronavirus, told IranWire, “If the policy of complete quarantine in all infected areas of Iran is not implemented and if things go on as they are now, by late May the number of casualties of Coronavirus could reach 700,000.”
The source said an official estimate by the NHCFC projects up to 200,000 cases, even with the belated steps by the Rouhani Government.
He noted that official Government figures are far below the actual number, with the justification that announcement of the real total would spread panic.
On Saturday, the Health Ministry confirmed 1,076 new cases of Coronavirus in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 5,823. The Ministry said the death toll had risen from 124 to 145.
MP Fatemeh Rahbar was among the latest deaths, the second legislator to succumb to the virus.
See also Iran Daily, March 7: Coronavirus — Member of Parliament Among Latest Deaths
The official criticized the under-reporting of the toll. He said that it hinders reception of international aid and leads to confusion among the public, with people then ignoring the importance of quarantines.
“For example, if the people of Qazvin [northwest of the capital Tehran] knew that the real number of infections in the city that had been identified by Friday, March 6, were 600 and that 19 people have died, they might have quarantined themselves inside their homes as much as possible,” he said.
He added that 260 people have died in Tehran alone as of March 6.
A Delayed Response
The first Coronavirus cases were reported in the holy city of Qom in early February, but the regime initially took few if any measures to contain the outbreak.
The Supreme Leader declared on February 23 that Coronavirus was a “Western plot” to discourage turnout in the Parliamentary elections two days earlier. The Government rejected quaranties as President Hassan Rouhani repeated the “conspiracy” line”.
Measures were finally adopted last week as the number of cases surged, including the deaths of two MPs, two former Ambassadors, and a member of the Expediency Council advising the Supreme Leader. Among those testing positive are 23 MPs, a Vice President, the Deputy Health Minister, and the brother of the Supreme Leader’s daughter-in-law.
Authorities have set up checkpoints to limit travel between major cities, saying they will be in place up to the Iranian New Year on March 20. Friday Prayers have been cancelled, and public events such as football matches postponed.
The official told IranWire that the NHCFC asked for a declaration of martial law in infected areas, but the request was rejected. Instead, at the outset of the crisis, “[The Government] even returned working hours to normal and…this increased commutes and travels.”
He supported reports that 1st Vice President Esh’aq Jahangiri has contracted the virus and is in stable condition.
A direct result of this under reporting is that many people are going around as if this is just a common cold….foolish really. But if iranians had used their brain for thinking instead their crutch there wouldn’t be an iri….