Corona virus: Iran sets a new record for deaths amid the “ third wave ”

Iran has reported a daily record of new deaths from the Coronavirus, as it grapples with what officials describe as the “third wave” of the virus outbreak.

Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Larry said that 239 people who contracted COVID-19 have died during the past 24 hours, bringing the total number since February to 27,658.

She added that the number of confirmed cases increased by 4,019 to 483,844.

Iran, one of the worst-affected countries in the Middle East, has seen a rise in the number of new infections in recent weeks.

More than 3,500 new cases were reported in each of the past nine days, while Monday’s death toll of 235 equaled the previous record set in late July.

Twenty-seven of the country’s 31 provinces are considered “red” areas, where infections are increasing, but the situation in the capital, Tehran and its environs, was described as “critical.”

Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi said, Tuesday, that Tehran’s hospitals are treating nearly 5,800 patients with COVID-19, 948 of whom are in intensive care units.

Mr. Harirchi warned of the exhaustion of health care workers and medical supplies as the situation worsens in the city and other parts of the country.

In an effort to curb the spread of the virus, authorities in Tehran announced that wearing a face mask would be mandatory for its 10 million residents from Saturday.

Last Saturday, they ordered the closure of schools, universities, libraries, mosques, cinemas and other public institutions in the capital for a week.

Iran has also sought to prevent Shiite pilgrims from traveling to Iraq to participate in the Arbaeen Processions on Thursday, which marks the end of the 40-day mourning period for Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.

Officials attributed the resurgence of the virus to people not adhering to health measures such as wearing masks and social distancing.

President Hassan Rouhani said, on Saturday, that anyone who hides an infection with the COVID-19 virus and fails to quarantine for a period of 14 days should face the “maximum penalty.”

He added that government employees who repeatedly failed to observe the regulations could be suspended for one year, and that work could be closed if they failed to follow the rules.

Iran has suffered the first major outbreak in the Middle East after reporting the first death in mid-February. However, experts expressed concern that the government was obscuring its true size.

BBC Persian found that leaked government records showed that nearly 42,000 people with symptoms of Covid-19 had died as of July 20, compared to 14,405 the Ministry of Health reported. The number of people known to be infected almost doubled, according to the Ministry’s figures.

The Iranian government has repeatedly denied accusations of a cover-up.