On the 25th of February, 2020, both Iran’s Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi and an MP tested positive for the Coronavirus, despite denying the cover-up of the scale of the outbreak. This news comes amid widespread and pervasive fear of this largely misunderstood virus, recently officially named COVID 19. Additionally, this update signals a perhaps forgotten victim of Corona: Iran.

Globally, the American people have dealt with our fair share of viral disasters. However, none have quite captured the media’s eye quite like the spread of the Coronavirus has. Racism and xenophobia have spread at an equally alarming rate at the hands of those perpetuating fear and lies about the origins of this virus. The Coronavirus has caused fear around the world, frightening both large and small diasporas and communities around the world. But Iran, a country central to the Middle East and one with a reasonably large population of 80 million, has caught the eyes of the World Health Organization.

Image of the Coronavirus being examined from respiratory samples

Source: Kaci Herstszs

This week, schools in many areas of Iran have been closed for their second and third days in a row. Despite not currently having as many reported cases as Italy, the speed at which the virus is spreading remains troubling. Corona is no longer an abstract concept, used to justify crude humor towards South East Asian communities. It is a tangible, fearful virus—one that governments across the world were never truly prepared for.

Covid-19’s attack on the Iranian people particularly highlights the detrimental effects implicated on a country with a turbulent history and fragile economy faced with a very real and looming threat. It’s reaction, accordingly, has come under fire.

Since the scrambling to contain the COVID-19 outbreak after the announcement of the first two deaths in Qom on Wednesday last week, a reported 12 people have died from the virus. However, this figure has been disputed by other officials within Iran. Confirmed infections across Iran amount to approximately 61 infections. This figure, however, is controversial, and the Iranian government has recently been accused of covering up the true figures and failing to maintain transparency with both the Iranian population and people of other countries, as the rest of the Middle East rushes to manage the unprecedentedly rapid spread of the virus. ​​

On Monday, Iran’s middle eastern neighbors of Afghanistan, Bahrain, ​Kuwait​ , and Iraq reported their first cases – all involving individuals from Iran. This worrying trend has been noticed by governments and health officials alike—yet it was the announcement of Iraj Harirchi that sparked the greatest amount of media coverage, as he delivered the statement of his own infection with a resigned sigh and a half-hearted smile.

Iraj Harirchi, Iran's deputy health minister, went on TV yesterday (left) to insist the Iranian government was getting the #coronavirus outbreak under control.



Today it was announced Harirchi himself has the virus. pic.twitter.com/dO0RgLyydk — Raf Sanchez (@rafsanchez) February 25, 2020

But what lies beneath Iran’s public image is the most troubling. According to the semi-official Ilna News agency, the lawmaker, Ahmad Amirabadi Farahani claimed there had been 50 deaths from the coronavirus in Qom alone—starkly contrasting the original figure of 12. Meanwhile, Tehran continues to reject claims of a higher death toll.

“The rest of the media have not published this figure, but we prefer not to censor what concerns the coronavirus because people’s lives are in danger,” ​the Ilna editor Fatemeh Madiani told Agence France-Presse.

White House Press Briefing about the Coronavirus

Source: The White House

Although Iran is not the country with the most reported Corona infections outside of China (Italy has had a total of a 1000 people testing positive, with a smaller number of 6 deaths), its spread within the population of Iran proves more difficult to contain and regulate, therefore heightening and increasing fears of virus’ continued spread. Paul Hunter, a professor at East Anglia University and an authority on Corona, says it is “Unlikely that Iran will have the resources and facilities to adequately identify cases and adequately manage them if case numbers are large.​” Additionally, due to past conflict in Iran, border regions have become porous and dangerous, while many healthcare facilities have been targeted and destroyed. War facilitates and almost encourages the spread of disease, and Iran’s past, at the hands of outside forces and influence, has resulted in a precarious situation.

Ultimately, governments must be transparent with themselves and the public. The general population should be educated and advised, and international communication between governments is of utmost importance—as is empathy and understanding in times of difficulty. Amid the panic, misinformation is perhaps the most dangerous virus of all, spreading faster and with more negative impacts than Corona itself. Wash your hands, and stay informed.

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