Coronavirus cases rise in Iran on the eve of parliamentary elections

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Iran rushed on Thursday to set up a crisis response unit to deal with a potential coronavirus outbreak after two people died in the central city of Qom, before polling stations open for parliamentary elections on Friday.

The Iranian health ministry had isolated a number of patients suspected to have contracted the virus in Qom for two days, Iranian state media confirmed Wednesday lunchtime. Testing of those isolated confirmed two elderly people had been infected, both of whom died later the same day.

Neither of the deceased had travelled beyond Iran or their home province of Qom, state-run news agency IRNA reported.

“However, there is no cause of how they were contaminated with the virus…the issue is under investigation,” IRNA said.

Two more cases of infection were confirmed on Thursday, IRNA reported, while five people suspected of having contracted the virus have been transferred from Qom to Tehran.

A medical professional was also confirmed to have contracted the virus in the nearby city of Arak, according to Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency.

News of further coronavirus incidences led to the closure of schools and universities in an effort to prevent its further spread.

Authorities have set up a crisis response unit at the health ministry to tackle and prevent spread of coronavirus, government spokesperson Ali Rabiei said on Thursday, with assistance from the armed forces.

“From the beginning of the corona outbreak in China, the government discussed the issue in a number of meetings and required decisions were taken at the borders,” Rabiei tweeted on Thursday morning. 

“Now that the signs have appeared, we need to take broader actions and we need the assistance of all the citizens.”

Speculation circulated on social media on Thursday about government deployment of special forces to Qom to deal with any possible riots in response to the deaths. However, the rumours were denied by Colonel Mehrdad Hajizadeh, the deputy head of Qom’s police.

Health ministry advice for people to stay away from crowded areas in response to the infections may hinder voter turnout in parliamentary elections set to take place on Friday, for which the Iranian regime has tried to push participation.
 

A serious concern now is Friday parliamentary elections in Iran. Health Ministry says it has informed relevant authorities regarding the measures that need to be carried out. It's now their call.
The Ministry has also urged that all pilgrimage, conferences, etc are banned in Qom https://t.co/TEfpPnrr22

— Reza Khaasteh (@Khaaasteh) February 20, 2020

News of the deaths just two days before the elections was met with cynicism by Iranians on social media.
 
One Twitter user mocked news of the virus, saying that Iranian authorities would use incidences of infection to excuse low turnout.

"What a clever virus this Corona is," one Iranian tweeted. "Exactly one day before the election, the virus reached Iran and perhaps they are going to say that one way of transmitting this virus is to stand in election queue or placing one's finger in the ink..."

The coronavirus outbreak began in the Chinese city of Wuhan on December 31, killing more than 2,100 people and infecting over 74,000 worldwide.

Though cases of infection in China have dropped significantly, incidences of infection and deaths abroad are showing little relent.

Iraq is stepping up existing measures to prevent the virus from reaching the country, officials from Iran’s western neighbour told Rudaw on Thursday.

• SHARE ON
• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Whatsapp
• Share on Telegram
• Share on Viber
• Share on Messenger