Coronavirus: Iran cancels Friday prayers to limit spread of outbreak
Coronavirus: At least 210 have died in Iran, say hospital sources
(about 3 hours later)
Iran cancelled the main Friday prayers in Tehran and 22 other cities for the first time in decades to limit the spread of the new coronavirus disease.
At least 210 people in Iran have died as a result of the new coronavirus disease, sources in the country's health system have told BBC Persian.
It also placed some restrictions on access to major Shia Muslim shrines in Qom, the epicentre of the country's Covid-19 outbreak, and Mashhad.
Most of the victims are from the capital, Tehran, and the city of Qom, where cases of Covid-19 first emerged.
Schools will also close for three days from Saturday, with the health minister warning of a "very difficult week".
The figure is six times higher than the official death toll of 34 given by the health ministry earlier on Friday.
Officials have reported 388 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 34 related deaths.
There was no comment from the Iranian government, but it has insisted it is being transparent about the outbreak.
The death toll is by far the highest outside China, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the outbreak may be worse than realised.
A member of parliament for Qom accused the authorities of a cover-up earlier this week and the US has expressed concern that they may not be sharing information.
Iran has also been the source of dozens of cases in neighbouring countries, including Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman and Pakistan.
"We have made offers to the Islamic Republic of Iran to help," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told a congressional committee in Washington on Friday.
There have been 82,000 reported cases of Covid-19 worldwide and 2,800 deaths since the disease emerged late last year. All but 3,664 cases and 57 of the deaths have been reported in China.
"Their healthcare infrastructure is not robust and to date, their willingness to share information about what's really going on inside... Iran has not been robust."
More than 900 cities and towns across Iran hold weekly Friday prayer services, during which imams designated by the supreme leader deliver sermons.
There have been more than 83,000 reported cases of Covid-19 worldwide and 2,800 deaths since the disease emerged late last year - the vast majority in China.
Thousands of people would have been expected to attend those in the 23 provincial capitals that were cancelled on the advice of the health ministry.
Growing lack of confidence in authorities
The ministry also called for restrictions on access to the Hazrat Masumeh shrine in Qom and the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, which are both visited by millions of Shia pilgrims every year.
By Kasra Naji, BBC Persian
Health Minister Saeed Namaki told state TV on Wednesday that people would be allowed to visit the sites once they had been given hand-sanitising gels, health information and face masks.
There are fears in Iran that the government, unsure of how to handle the outbreak, is covering up the extent of the spread of the new coronavirus disease.
"[They must] not gather together in groups - just pray and leave," he said.
Now, a tally of figures reported by BBC Persian's sources in several hospitals suggests at least 210 people had died across the country as of Thursday night.
Senior Shia clerics have rejected calls for the shrines to be closed since the first case of Covid-19 was reported in Iran nine days ago.
The highest number of deaths were said to be in Tehran, where a disproportionately high number of officials have reportedly tested positive for Covid-19, including a vice-president, a deputy minister, and at least two MPs.
The custodian of the Hazrat Masumeh shrine, Ayatollah Mohammed Saeedi, said on Wednesday that it should be kept open as a "house for cure" and that "people should be encouraged to come".
Friday prayers in Tehran and 22 other cities were cancelled, and schools and universities have been closed until further notice.
On the same day, President Hassan Rouhani ruled out locking down any cities or districts, saying that the authorities would continue to "only quarantine individuals".
Thousands of Iranians have also been stranded inside and outside the country as many flights have been stopped to and from Iran.
Vice-President for Women's and Family Affairs Masoumeh Ebtekar became the latest Iranian official to be infected on Thursday.
The Hamshahri Online website reported that Ms Ebtekar - the highest-ranking woman in the Iranian government - had attended a meeting with President Hassan Rouhani and a number of ministers shortly before testing positive.
Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi and at least four members of parliament have also been infected, while the prominent cleric Hadi Khosroshahi died on Thursday.
In a letter to the supreme leader on Thursday, Mr Namaki defended Iran's response the Covid-19 outbreak and predicted that the country "without any question, would surprise the entire world when the disease is brought to its knees".
But on Friday health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour cautioned that "the rate of coronavirus infection would continue to rise in the coming days".
"Staying home, restricting traffic, reducing movement and interactions, avoiding unnecessary travel, cancelling any nationwide gatherings along with observing individual health tips are the only ways to control Covid-19," he tweeted.
The head of the WHO's emergencies programme said on Thursday that the apparent high mortality rate in Iran indicated its outbreak might be more widespread than realised.
"The most likely factor is that obviously this disease came unseen and undetected into Iran so the extent of infection may be broader than what we are seeing," Dr Michael Ryan told reporters.
"There is a very high clinical capacity for managing severely ill patients in Iran, so I don't suspect this has anything to do with clinical care," he added.
A WHO mission is due to arrive in Iran early next week to advise local officials.
