• Pedestrians wear protective masks and surgical gloves while walking in central Tehran, Iran, March 15, 2020. Bloomberg
    Pedestrians wear protective masks and surgical gloves while walking in central Tehran, Iran, March 15, 2020. Bloomberg
  • A pedestrian wears a protective face mask while walking in central Tehran, March 15. Bloomberg
    A pedestrian wears a protective face mask while walking in central Tehran, March 15. Bloomberg
  • A public bus driver wears a protective face mask while working in central Tehran, March 15. Bloomberg
    A public bus driver wears a protective face mask while working in central Tehran, March 15. Bloomberg
  • A pedestrian wears a protective face mask while travelling down a walkway escalator in Tehran, March 15. Bloomberg
    A pedestrian wears a protective face mask while travelling down a walkway escalator in Tehran, March 15. Bloomberg
  • A woman wearing a face mask inspects clothes at a store in Bamland shopping mall, in Western Tehran, March 15. AP Photo
    A woman wearing a face mask inspects clothes at a store in Bamland shopping mall, in Western Tehran, March 15. AP Photo
  • A pedestrian wears a protective face mask in Tehran, March 15. Bloomberg
    A pedestrian wears a protective face mask in Tehran, March 15. Bloomberg
  • People queue in line to receive packages for precautions against coronavirus by the Basij, a militia loyal to Iran's Islamic republic establishment, from a booth outside Meydane Valiasr metro station in the capital Tehran, March 15. AFP
    People queue in line to receive packages for precautions against coronavirus by the Basij, a militia loyal to Iran's Islamic republic establishment, from a booth outside Meydane Valiasr metro station in the capital Tehran, March 15. AFP
  • A man wearing a protective mask carries boxes containing disinfectants, March 15. AFP
    A man wearing a protective mask carries boxes containing disinfectants, March 15. AFP
  • People queue in line to receive packages for precautions against coronavirus disease, March 15. AFP
    People queue in line to receive packages for precautions against coronavirus disease, March 15. AFP
  • Iranian firefighters prepare to disinfect streets in an effort to halt the spread of coronavirus in Tehran on March 13, 2020. EPA
    Iranian firefighters prepare to disinfect streets in an effort to halt the spread of coronavirus in Tehran on March 13, 2020. EPA
  • Firefighters disinfect streets in an effort to halt the spread of coronavirus in Tehran, March 13. EPA
    Firefighters disinfect streets in an effort to halt the spread of coronavirus in Tehran, March 13. EPA
  • An Iranian firefighter disinfects a street in the capital Tehran, March 13. AFP
    An Iranian firefighter disinfects a street in the capital Tehran, March 13. AFP
  • Firefighters disinfect streets in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus in Tehran, March 13. EPA
    Firefighters disinfect streets in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus in Tehran, March 13. EPA
  • A Revolutionary Guard member takes part in disinfecting the city in Tehran, Iran, March 4. AP
    A Revolutionary Guard member takes part in disinfecting the city in Tehran, Iran, March 4. AP
  • A Revolutionary Guard member disinfects an ATM in Tehran, Iran, March 4. AP
    A Revolutionary Guard member disinfects an ATM in Tehran, Iran, March 4. AP
  • A Revolutionary Guard member disinfects a bus station in Tehran, Iran, March 4. AP
    A Revolutionary Guard member disinfects a bus station in Tehran, Iran, March 4. AP
  • Members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard spray down streets and hospitals with disinfectants, March 4. AP
    Members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard spray down streets and hospitals with disinfectants, March 4. AP
  • Members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard spray down streets and hospitals with disinfectants, March 1. Tasnim News Agency via AP
    Members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard spray down streets and hospitals with disinfectants, March 1. Tasnim News Agency via AP
  • Revolutionary Guard members take part in disinfecting the city, in Sanandaj, western Iran, March 1. Tasnim News Agency via AP
    Revolutionary Guard members take part in disinfecting the city, in Sanandaj, western Iran, March 1. Tasnim News Agency via AP
  • A Revolutionary Guard member disinfects a truck in the city of Sanandaj, western Iran, March 1. Tasnim News Agency via AP
    A Revolutionary Guard member disinfects a truck in the city of Sanandaj, western Iran, March 1. Tasnim News Agency via AP

Coronavirus in Iran kills one every 10 minutes, says health official

At least 50 people become infected with the virus every hour in Iran said Kianush Jahanpur

The National

March 19, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

The new coronavirus kills one person every 10 minutes in Iran, the health ministry spokesman tweeted on Thursday, as the death toll in the Middle East worst-affected country climbed to 1,284.

"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, Head of public relations and information at the Health Ministry, tweeted.

The country has been hard hit by the virus that started in China at the start of the year but has stopped short of a total lockdown to contain the cases as was ordered by Beijing.

With Nawrouz set for this weekend, thousands of Iranians are expected to ignore calls to self-isolate and travel instead to the coast or to villages to celebrate the annual festival.

  • UAE aid going to Iran. It was second batch of aid to be sent to Iran from the UAE this month. All images courtesy Wam
    UAE aid going to Iran. It was second batch of aid to be sent to Iran from the UAE this month. All images courtesy Wam
  • UAE aid going to Iran.
    UAE aid going to Iran.
  • Aircraft await loading.
    Aircraft await loading.
  • UAE aid going to Iran.
    UAE aid going to Iran.
  • UAE aid going to Iran.
    UAE aid going to Iran.
  • UAE aid going to Iran.
    UAE aid going to Iran.
  • UAE aid going to Iran.
    UAE aid going to Iran.
  • UAE aid going to Iran.
    UAE aid going to Iran.
  • UAE aid going to Iran.
    UAE aid going to Iran.
  • UAE aid going to Iran.
    UAE aid going to Iran.
  • UAE aid going to Iran.
    UAE aid going to Iran.

The virus has already killed or infected dozens of senior Iranian officials and the government has called the victims martyrs as it drafted in the army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps to assist in the battle.

But Tehran has also been accused of trying to hide the true extent of the spread until it was too late, causing a rapid increase in cases until it was almost impossible to contain.

When the country should have been taking steps, it marked the 1979 revolution with mass rallies and held elections.

CoronavirusIranMiddle EastBeijing