Iranian authorities announced Wednesday an additional 121 deaths from the new coronavirus, bringing the official death toll to 3,993 in Iran, the country by far the hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic in the Near and Middle East.
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Iran has identified 1997 new cases of contamination in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 64,586, added Kianouche Jahanpour, spokesman for the Ministry of Health during his daily press briefing. Iran announced on February 19 the first cases of contamination in the city of Qom (center).
Abroad, some suspect Iranian official figures to be underestimated. According to Kianouche Jahanpour, 3,956 patients were in critical condition on Wednesday. Since the start of the epidemic in Iran, 29,812 hospital patients have recovered, Kianouche Jahanpour said, adding that the country had conducted more than 220,975 tests of Covid-19 disease.
In an attempt to limit the spread of the virus, the authorities have not imposed confinement, but ask the population to stay at home "as much as possible ". Other restrictions were imposed, such as a ban on traveling between cities and the closure of most businesses deemed non-essential.
On Wednesday, President Hassan Rohani said during a council of ministers that a " second wave " in the fight against the new coronavirus should start from Saturday and that it would be tougher than the first. Hassan Rohani also announced the reopening of certain “ low risk ” businesses from April 11, saying he wanted to “ maintain economic activities as much as possible while fighting against the coronavirus ”. The announcement was criticized by some experts and senior officials, but Hassan Rohani said there was " no other way ."