This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-51628484
The article has changed 13 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Coronavirus: Iran's deputy health minister tests positive as outbreak worsens | Coronavirus: Iran's deputy health minister tests positive as outbreak worsens |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Iran's deputy health minister has tested positive for the new coronavirus disease, as it struggles to contain an outbreak that has killed 15 people. | Iran's deputy health minister has tested positive for the new coronavirus disease, as it struggles to contain an outbreak that has killed 15 people. |
| A health ministry spokesman confirmed that Iraj Harirchi was infected with Covid-19 and under quarantine. | A health ministry spokesman confirmed that Iraj Harirchi was infected with Covid-19 and under quarantine. |
| President Hassan Rouhani meanwhile urged Iranians not to panic, saying: "We will get through the virus." | President Hassan Rouhani meanwhile urged Iranians not to panic, saying: "We will get through the virus." |
| Officials have reported 95 confirmed cases since last week, but the actual number is thought to be far higher. | Officials have reported 95 confirmed cases since last week, but the actual number is thought to be far higher. |
| The World Health Organization has said the sudden increase in cases in the country is "deeply concerning". | The World Health Organization has said the sudden increase in cases in the country is "deeply concerning". |
| The regional director of the UN agency was due to fly to Iran on Tuesday, but his departure was delayed. | The regional director of the UN agency was due to fly to Iran on Tuesday, but his departure was delayed. |
| A WHO spokeswoman said it was finalising the dates of a separate visit to Iran by a technical mission and was also sending medical supplies and additional testing kits that should arrive in the next day or two. | A WHO spokeswoman said it was finalising the dates of a separate visit to Iran by a technical mission and was also sending medical supplies and additional testing kits that should arrive in the next day or two. |
| There have been more than 80,000 reported cases of Covid-19 worldwide and 2,700 related deaths since the disease emerged late last year. The vast majority have been in China. | There have been more than 80,000 reported cases of Covid-19 worldwide and 2,700 related deaths since the disease emerged late last year. The vast majority have been in China. |
| Conflict between religion and science | Conflict between religion and science |
| By Rana Rahimpour, BBC Persian | By Rana Rahimpour, BBC Persian |
| The reports that we are receiving from cities around Iran suggest that the number of cases is actually much higher than the Iranian authorities are giving. | |
| Unlike in Italy, Iranian officials are refusing to impose quarantines in areas affected by the outbreak. They say quarantines are old-fashioned and that they do not believe in them. | Unlike in Italy, Iranian officials are refusing to impose quarantines in areas affected by the outbreak. They say quarantines are old-fashioned and that they do not believe in them. |
| The Shia shrines in the cities of Qom and Mashhad are still open, despite Qom being a hotbed of the virus. | The Shia shrines in the cities of Qom and Mashhad are still open, despite Qom being a hotbed of the virus. |
| There are grand ayatollahs in Qom who believe that its shrine, which attracts millions of pilgrims from around the world, and its important seminary, which hosts many foreign religious students, are the pride of the Shia world. | There are grand ayatollahs in Qom who believe that its shrine, which attracts millions of pilgrims from around the world, and its important seminary, which hosts many foreign religious students, are the pride of the Shia world. |
| Shutting them down would be a huge step for the clerics and not one that they would be likely take unless they come under international pressure. | Shutting them down would be a huge step for the clerics and not one that they would be likely take unless they come under international pressure. |
| We can see the clear conflict between religious fundamentalism and science. | We can see the clear conflict between religious fundamentalism and science. |
| Iran also lacks the medical equipment it needs to help contain the outbreak. It has run out of masks and does not have enough testing kits. | Iran also lacks the medical equipment it needs to help contain the outbreak. It has run out of masks and does not have enough testing kits. |
| A number of medical workers have also been infected, so there is a worry that they will soon run out of doctors and nurses to attend to those with the disease. | A number of medical workers have also been infected, so there is a worry that they will soon run out of doctors and nurses to attend to those with the disease. |
| The majority of Iranians are extremely worried. | The majority of Iranians are extremely worried. |
| Mr Harirchi's positive test for Covid-19 was announced a day after he took part in a televised news conference, during which he coughed and appeared to be sweating. | Mr Harirchi's positive test for Covid-19 was announced a day after he took part in a televised news conference, during which he coughed and appeared to be sweating. |
| At the briefing he denied a claim by a member of parliament for Qom, the city at the centre of Iran's outbreak, that the authorities were engaged in a cover-up. | At the briefing he denied a claim by a member of parliament for Qom, the city at the centre of Iran's outbreak, that the authorities were engaged in a cover-up. |
| Ahmad Amirabadi-Farahani alleged that Covid-19 had arrived in Qom three weeks ago and that there had been 50 deaths in the city alone. | Ahmad Amirabadi-Farahani alleged that Covid-19 had arrived in Qom three weeks ago and that there had been 50 deaths in the city alone. |
| The death toll was rejected by Mr Harirchi, who vowed to resign if it could be proven that even half that number had died. | The death toll was rejected by Mr Harirchi, who vowed to resign if it could be proven that even half that number had died. |
| Mr Amirabadi-Farahani subsequently refused to retract his claim, saying he had sent a list of 40 people who had died to the minister and awaited his resignation. | Mr Amirabadi-Farahani subsequently refused to retract his claim, saying he had sent a list of 40 people who had died to the minister and awaited his resignation. |
| More on the coronavirus outbreak | More on the coronavirus outbreak |
| The secretary of the Supreme National Security Council said on Tuesday that he had asked the prosecutor-general to "check the validity" of the MP's allegation. | The secretary of the Supreme National Security Council said on Tuesday that he had asked the prosecutor-general to "check the validity" of the MP's allegation. |
| "Both spreading fake news and hiding the truth disrupt national security and damage social capital," Ali Shamkhani warned. | "Both spreading fake news and hiding the truth disrupt national security and damage social capital," Ali Shamkhani warned. |
| The authorities have so far refused to quarantine Qom, which is visited by millions of Shia Muslim pilgrims and tourists every year because it is the location of the shrine of Hazrat Masumeh, a revered female saint who was the sister of the eighth Shia Imam. | The authorities have so far refused to quarantine Qom, which is visited by millions of Shia Muslim pilgrims and tourists every year because it is the location of the shrine of Hazrat Masumeh, a revered female saint who was the sister of the eighth Shia Imam. |
| The city is also home to many of Iran's most senior Shia clerics, and tens of thousands of theology students come from across the world to attend its seminary. | The city is also home to many of Iran's most senior Shia clerics, and tens of thousands of theology students come from across the world to attend its seminary. |
| Iran is also believed to have been the source of the first cases reported by neighbouring Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait and Oman, which have now imposed restrictions on travel to and from the Islamic Republic. | Iran is also believed to have been the source of the first cases reported by neighbouring Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait and Oman, which have now imposed restrictions on travel to and from the Islamic Republic. |
| The United Arab Emirates - a major international transit hub, and home to the airlines Emirates and Etihad - suspended all passenger and cargo flights to Iran for at least a week "as a precautionary measure" on Tuesday. It has already reported 13 cases, including an Iranian couple. | The United Arab Emirates - a major international transit hub, and home to the airlines Emirates and Etihad - suspended all passenger and cargo flights to Iran for at least a week "as a precautionary measure" on Tuesday. It has already reported 13 cases, including an Iranian couple. |