Iran said its novel coronavirus infections surpassed one million cases on Thursday, as the authorities consider easing restrictions in many parts of the Middle East's hardest hit country.
But by the admission of some officials, including Health Minister Saeed Namaki, these figures are much lower than the actual number. COVID-19 first surfaced in Iran on February 19, when authorities said it claimed the lives of two elderly people in Qom, a Shiite holy city south of the capital.In response, the authorities have taken a series of measures aimed at halting the spread of the virus.
Despite not imposing lockdowns, non-essential businesses were closed for two weeks in areas at the highest risk on November 21, reinforcing restrictions President Hassan Rouhani said were needed to curb a "third wave" of the outbreak. Minou Mohraz, a medical epidemiologist with the National Coronavirus Control Committee, announced this week that an animal testing phase has been completed.But Namaki said that if the step was successful, "we will be one of the major producers in the region by early next spring".
The authorities recently declared they have the greatest difficulty in the world to obtain winter flu vaccines.
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