Page 39 - IRANRptApr20

9.1.7 ​Healthcare sector news
Iranian state TV journalist and doctor warns audience “millions” in Iran could die from COVID-19
An Iranian state television journalist who is also a medical doctor on March 17 warned that the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak could claim the lives of "millions" in Iran if the public keeps ignoring advised restrictions on travelling and other health guidance.
Dr Afruz Eslami gave the warning only hours after hardline Shiite faithful pushed their way into the courtyards of two major shrines that had just been closed over virus fears. Meanwhile, Iran's supreme leader issued a religious ruling prohibiting "unnecessary" travel in the country. Iran, a country of 82mn, on March 19 starts its long Persian new year Nowruz holidays that extend into April. A surge in travel as people head to family gatherings can be expected.
Roughly nine out of 10 of the more than 18,000 COVID-19 cases confirmed across the Middle East come from Iran. By the end of March 17, Iran had recorded 16,169 infections and the deaths of 988 people infected with the coronavirus.
Eslami cited a study by Tehran's prestigious Sharif University of Technology. lt advanced three scenarios. The first is that if people begin to cooperate now, Iran will see 120,000 infections and 12,000 deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic. The second is that if they offer medium cooperation, there will be 300,000 cases and 110,000 deaths. The third is that if people fail to follow any guidance, Iran's health system could collapse. Eslami envisaged a situation in which "medical facilities are not sufficient” and said that in the constructed hypothesis there would be four million coronavirus cases “and 3.5 million people will die".
Eslami did not detail what metrics the study used, but the fact that it was reported by Iran's tightly controlled state television broadcaster underlined the gravity of the epidemic Iran faces.
Uzbekistan’s government has announced it will send humanitarian aid to Iran as part of efforts to fight the country's coronavirus emergency, UZReport reported on March 15.
Iran is suffering the world's third worst coronavirus outbreak, behind China and Italy. By late evening on March 15, the country had announced a total of 724 deaths of people identified as having picked up a coronavirus infection, with some reports indicating the Iranian health system would be in danger of collapse if the pandemic continued to expand at a fast rate. Other countries including, Russia, China, UAE, Qatar and European nations have all sent parcels of aid in recent weeks to help the Iranians battle their coronavirus crisis.
The items from Uzbekistan include sterile medical gloves, hazmat suits, protective clothing, medical masks, alcohol, gauze and other items used to fight the spread of the virus, also known as COVID-19.
It was expected that the cargo would be presented by a delegation of officials from the Uzbek government including the deputy minister of emergency situations.
Iranian face mask production amid the coronavirus epidemic is expected to surpass 300,000 masks per day by the Persian weekend (March 5 to 6), according to the vice president for science and technology Sorena Sattari as cited by IRNA.
Sattari reportedly said 200,000 masks were already being produced daily, but that the 300,000 target would be hit imminently.
39​ IRAN Country Report April 2020 www.intellinews.com