‘Catastrophic’: Iran reports record rise in COVID-19 cases

Iran has reported a record number of more than 4,000 new cases of COVID-19, as most of the country is put on red alert over the coronavirus pandemic. The highest single-day rise of 4,151 infections in the previous 24 hours took the number of identified cases in the worst-hit country in the Middle East to 479,825, the Health Ministry reported on Tuesday. Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari told state television that 227 COVID-19 patients had also died in the past 24 hours, bringing the total deaths to 27,419. The grim tally was announced a day after Iran reported 235 fatalities from the virus, a figure equal to the record-high death toll previously set on July 28. According to officials, the majority of Iran’s 32 provinces are currently classified as red – the highest level – in a colour-coded scale denoting the severity of the COVID-19 outbreak. The situation in the capital Tehran has worsened, with provincial authorities indicating it will be compulsory to wear masks in all public places in the capital from Saturday in a bid to halt the spread. Al Jazeera’s Assed Baig, reporting from Tehran, said the authorities are “very concerned” about a “third wave” of the pandemic. “Officials have voiced their concerns, describing the situation here as ‘catastrophic’, ‘a tsunami’ and ‘critical’,” he said. style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0; left: 0;">