Minister Urges People to Respect Health Protocols
TEHRAN (Dispatches) -- Iran could face a second, stronger wave of novel coronavirus infections if people ignore guidance and social distancing rules, Health Minister Saeed Namaki said on Monday.
The Islamic Republic started easing its lockdown in April after a drop in deaths. But May saw an uptick in the rate of reported infections compared with mid to late April - an acceleration the government put down to increased testing.
"The outbreak is not over yet and at any moment it may come back stronger than before,” Saeed Namaki said in a news conference.
"If our people fail to respect the health protocols ... we must prepare ourselves for the worst situation.”
Iran has reported a total of 154,445 infections as of Monday, an increase of 2,979 from the previous day. It also reported 81 new deaths, taking the toll to 7,878.
Government employees went back to work and mosques resumed daily prayers on Saturday as part of the relaxation of the lockdown.
But authorities had to reimpose restrictions in the southern provinces of Khuzestan and Sistan Baluchestan in mid-May after an uptick of cases there.
"There is still a long way ahead of us in our fight against this virus ... All the health protocols should be respected,” Namaki said.
According to Namaki, the provinces of Sistan and Baluchistan, Kermanshah, and Hormozgan are currently struggling with surges in infections.
He added that half Iran’s fatalities for the past day were recorded in three provinces, without naming them. "If this continues, deaths can reach three digits again.”
Khuzestan remains "red”, the highest level on Iran’s color-coded risk scale, and is the only province where the government has reimposed a lockdown.
"We pleaded with the people to not hold weddings or funerals but they did not listen” especially in Khuzestan, said Namaki.
President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday Iran’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic has been acceptable and comparable to that of the developed countries.
"In our fight against the coronavirus, we have gone past the first 100 days and this is very important,” he said during a cabinet session.
"Our country’s statistics and figures as well as the economic fallout of coronavirus are comparable to developed countries of the world. Today, after having
The Islamic Republic started easing its lockdown in April after a drop in deaths. But May saw an uptick in the rate of reported infections compared with mid to late April - an acceleration the government put down to increased testing.
"The outbreak is not over yet and at any moment it may come back stronger than before,” Saeed Namaki said in a news conference.
"If our people fail to respect the health protocols ... we must prepare ourselves for the worst situation.”
Iran has reported a total of 154,445 infections as of Monday, an increase of 2,979 from the previous day. It also reported 81 new deaths, taking the toll to 7,878.
Government employees went back to work and mosques resumed daily prayers on Saturday as part of the relaxation of the lockdown.
But authorities had to reimpose restrictions in the southern provinces of Khuzestan and Sistan Baluchestan in mid-May after an uptick of cases there.
"There is still a long way ahead of us in our fight against this virus ... All the health protocols should be respected,” Namaki said.
According to Namaki, the provinces of Sistan and Baluchistan, Kermanshah, and Hormozgan are currently struggling with surges in infections.
He added that half Iran’s fatalities for the past day were recorded in three provinces, without naming them. "If this continues, deaths can reach three digits again.”
Khuzestan remains "red”, the highest level on Iran’s color-coded risk scale, and is the only province where the government has reimposed a lockdown.
"We pleaded with the people to not hold weddings or funerals but they did not listen” especially in Khuzestan, said Namaki.
President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday Iran’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic has been acceptable and comparable to that of the developed countries.
"In our fight against the coronavirus, we have gone past the first 100 days and this is very important,” he said during a cabinet session.
"Our country’s statistics and figures as well as the economic fallout of coronavirus are comparable to developed countries of the world. Today, after having
fought this dangerous virus for 100 days, during which our health sector and the entire nation did a great job, we see acceptable conditions,” Rouhani noted.
Illegal U.S. sanctions have hampered the virus battle in Iran, which reported its first COVID-19 infection cases in late February.
"There is no doubt that unilateral sanctions constitute an obstacle and are an inhumane measure, which brings about suffering and pain,” Namaki said last month. "The United States must be held to account for the severe sanctions that have put the lives of Iranian people in jeopardy,” he added.