Deccan Chronicle

Nine deaths in Iran, total at 43 210 reported dead, CHINA EXPERTS IN TEHRAN TO ministry in denial CONTAIN SPREAD

-

Tehran, Feb. 29: Iran on Saturday reported nine new deaths from the novel

Covid-19 and 205 fresh cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the overall tolls to 43 dead and 593 infected. “The total number of cases is 593 and the overall deaths 43 up until midday today,” health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour told a televised news conference. “We have had

205 new cases of Covid-19 within 24 hours,” he added, including 22 cases in a new outbreak in the province of Golestan.

Thousands to be tested Iran is preparing for the possibilit­y of tens of thousands of people getting tested for the new Covid-19 as the number of confirmed cases spiked again Saturday, an official said, underscori­ng the fear both at home and abroad over the outbreak in the Islamic Republic.

The virus and the Covid19 illness it causes have killed 43 people out of 593 confirmed cases in Iran,

London, Feb. 29: At least

210 people have died in Iran from the new Covid19, BBC Persian reported Friday citing unnamed sources in the Islamic Republic’s health system, promoting an angry denial from the health ministry.

Most of the people died in the capital Tehran and the holy city of Qom in central Iran, where the country’s first case was reported, the London-based global news network’s Persian service said. Iran’s

Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said. But the number of known cases versus deaths would put the virus’ death rate in Iran at over 7 per cent, much higher than other nations. That’s worried experts at the official death toll stood at

34 on Friday afternoon, with eight new deaths reported over the previous 24 hours. Health ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur accused BBC Persian of joining the Islamic Republic’s regional enemies in a “race to spread lies” about Iran.

“Iran’s exemplary transparen­cy in publishing informatio­n on the Covid19 has stunned many people,” Jahanpur tweeted.

World Health Organisati­on and elsewhere that Iran may be underrepor­ting the number of cases. Yet even as Iran sends spray trucks and fumigators into the streets, officials are trying to downplay the virus’ reach.

Beijing, Feb. 29: The Covid-19-hit China, which is grappling to contain the outbreak amidst rising death toll and number of infected cases, has sent a group of experts to Iran to help combat the spread of the disease in the country.

The Chinese experts are on their way to Iran, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokespers­on Hua Chunying said on Friday. “We must fight together,” Hua was quoted as saying by the state-run China Daily. During his telephonic conversati­on with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif earlier, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China will continue to provide assistance to Iran in curbing the epidemic and treating the sick, the report said.

 ??  ?? Shinzo Abe
Shinzo Abe

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from India