Iran reports an additional 800 COVID-19 cases, WHO experts arrive in Tehran

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews

Deputy Health Minister, Dr. Alireza Reiisi, said today that 835 additional coronavirus cases (COVID-19) were reported in Iran, bringing the total count to 2,336. Reiisi laso noted that 11 additional deaths have been reported bringing the total to 77.

State media have reported that some 10 percent of Iranian lawmakers have been infected with the coronavirus. 23 members of the Islamic Republic’s parliament now have the virus, as does the head of the country’s emergency services.

The virus has also killed Iran’s former ambassador to the Vatican, as well as a recently elected member of parliament.

On Monday, a team of WHO experts has landed in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, to support the ongoing response to the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in the country.

Overall, the objectives of the mission are to: identify transmission dynamics and at-risk populations; provide guidance on strengthening and scaling up the response to the ongoing outbreak, including agreement on priority control measures; and provide guidance on strengthened readiness for areas not yet affected by the outbreak.

The plane carrying the technical team members also contained a shipment of medical supplies and protective equipment to support over 15,000 health care workers, as well as enough laboratory kits enough to test and diagnose nearly 100,000 people.