Iran’s virus success ‘may be going into reverse’

Iran’s virus success ‘may be going into reverse’
The number of new infections in Iran had been falling steadily but it has now more than doubled over the past four days. It reached 1,680 on May 6. / Fars news agency.
By bne IntelIiNews May 6, 2020

Iran’s relative success in bringing its coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak under control may be going into reverse. Officials on May 6 confronted the reality of a sharp rise in infections seen over the past four days.

Like other countries, Iran’s is torn between demands for a return to standard economic activity—in mid-April the IMF warned the crisis meant Iran would likely face a GDP contraction of 6% in 2020, with heavy US sanctions also continuing to batter the economy—and doing enough to counter the danger of a second coronavirus wave as restrictions are relaxed. Some new methods of collating statistics from hospitals may also be pushing up the logged daily infection tallies.

“We are witnessing a rising trend [of infections] in the past three or four days, which is significant,” health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour told a televised news conference. The trend was “based on our behaviour, especially in the past two weeks, considering that a part of society has apparently had a change of attitude,” he added.

Infection rate more than doubles

The number of new infections in Iran had been falling steadily.  It was down to 802 five days ago, but that number has now more than doubled over the past four days to reach 1,680 on May 6, the highest figure seen since April 11. Total recorded infections stood at 101,650, with the number of deaths related to COVID-19 registered at 6,418, the ninth highest one-country figure in the world. The figure for people who had died in the past 24 hours was 78. Some 2,735 people were in a critical condition.

One of the worst renewed coronavirus outbreaks in Iran is in Khuzestan, a southwestern province that borders Iraq. Health officials there have complained of non-compliance with health protocols. They have warned offices will be closed again if it proves necessary.

In “white” cities (Iran has a three-colour coding system for outbreak severities across localities), which are regarded as largely virus-free, the government was planning to permit mosques to reopen for individual prayers.

News agencies said that hairdressers were reopening in many towns this week, while traffic restrictions had been broadly lifted. Although social distance requirements exist in reopened workplaces, they are enforced haphazardly, including on overcrowded public transport, they added. Schools remain closed.

Restrictions are still imposed on Iranians returning from abroad.

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