Tehran: An Iranian health official announced that one person in the nation is dying from deadly coronavirus every 10 minutes.
“Based on our information, every 10 minutes one person dies from the coronavirus and some 50 people become infected with the virus every hour in Iran,” Kianush Jahanpur, health ministry spokesperson tweeted.
Iran’s deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi on Thursday said the total number of infections had reached 18,407.
The World Health Organisation, however, has warned Iran’s toll was potentially five times higher as the testing has been restricted to the “most severe cases”. The authorities have also struggled to enforce measures like quarantine and self-isolation.
A nurse working in Karaj, a city 25km northwest of Tehran, said “Protective masks are only available for those working in the emergency units, increasing the risk that those working in other sections of the hospitals could be infected and pass on the virus to other patients,” The Independent said.
Last week, satellite images showed Iran had been digging mass graves near Qom.