Iran’s COVID-19 deaths hit record daily high of 709
Social media users have criticized government for being slow to vaccinate people
Iran on Tuesday reported a record daily 709 deaths from COVID-19 as the worsthit country in the Middle East faced a fifth surge in infections led by the highly contagious delta variant.
The Health Ministry said the total number of cases had reached 4.75 million with 40,623 new infections over the past 24 hours. Total fatalities rose to 103,357, state TV reported.
Authorities imposed a two-week road travel ban between cities in the country until Aug. 27, except for essential vehicles.
Nonessential businesses and public offices were allowed to reopen on Sunday after a week of a mandatory shutdown to help limit the spread of coronavirus infections.
The government has not yet announced whether or not new restrictions will be imposed soon.
Health authorities have warned that daily deaths might reach 800 in the coming weeks if Iranians fail to respect health precautions.
Social media users have criticized the government for being slow to vaccinate people — only about 6.5 million of the 83 million population are fully inoculated. Officials have blamed US sanctions and delays in importing vaccines.
Food, medicine and other humanitarian supplies are exempt from US sanctions reimposed on Tehran in 2018 after President Donald Trump walked away from a 2015 deal between world powers and Iran over its nuclear program.
But the US measures, which target sectors including oil and financial activities, have deterred some foreign banks from processing financial transactions with Iran.
Tehran says this has frequently disrupted efforts to import essential medicines and other humanitarian items.
Meanwhile, less than a month into a COVID-19 vaccine booster drive, Israel is seeing signs of an impact on the country’s high infection and severe illness rates fueled by the fast-spreading delta variant, officials and scientists say.
Delta hit Israel in June, just as the
country began to reap the benefits of one of the world’s fastest vaccine rollouts.
People infected with the delta variant have a viral load 300 times higher than those with the original version of the COVID-19 virus, when symptoms are first observed, a South Korea study found.
New Zealand on Tuesday recorded its highest increase in cases since April 2020, as authorities warned this current outbreak of the delta variant was like dealing with a whole new virus.
The South Pacific nation’s virusfree run since February ended last week after an outbreak of the delta variant erupted in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, and quickly spread to the capital Wellington.
Authorities reported 41 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, taking the total infections in the country
to 148. That was the biggest increase in cases since April 10, 2020, according to data from the Ministry of Health.
Australia can proceed with its reopening plans when the country reaches 70 percent-80 percent vaccination levels, the government’s pandemic modeling adviser said, even as some states hinted they may not ease border
curbs if Sydney fails to control its delta outbreak.
The Melbourne-based Doherty Institute said the country’s focus must shift to limiting the number of deaths and hospitalizations, from its current zero-cases strategy, when at least 70 percent of the country’s population above age 16 is fully vaccinated.
“This level of vaccination will make it easier to live with the virus, as we do with other viruses such as the flu,” it said in a statement late on Monday.
Germany has decided to stop using the coronavirus infection rate as its yardstick for deciding if restrictions should be in force to contain the spread of the virus, Chancellor Angela Merkel said.
The seven-day incidence rate was a key measure in determining whether restrictions could be imposed or lifted.
Greece said it would end free
testing for unvaccinated people to boost inoculation rates and head off any renewed spike in Delta variant infections. The country has recorded 13,422 deaths since reporting its first COVID-19 outbreak in February 2020.
New measures, which will come into effect on Sept. 13, stop short of forcing people to take a jab, but end free testing and oblige unvaccinated persons to test either once or twice a week, depending on their profession.
Hawaii Gov. David Ige urged residents and visitors to restrict travel to the US state to essential business activities amid a surge in cases in the islands.
The governor highlighted the restrictions on restaurant capacities and limited access to rental cars and said that those who choose to visit the islands will not be able to enjoy a typical Hawaii holiday.