Iran’s capital is battling a fourth wave of Covid-19 and cases are surging, the country’s Health Ministry said on Monday, as officials sounded the alarm to tighten restrictions during Ramadan later this month.
The announcement comes just two days after the end of Iran's two-week Nowruz holidays and before this year's Ramadan, which is expected to begin around April 12.
The daily seven-day average cases in Iran has crossed 10,000 again with 11,680 new cases on April 4 and 161 deaths.
Despite calls from health officials, many Iranians celebrated the New Year holidays, continued to see family members and travel around the country.
Tehran is “witnessing a 37 per cent surge in the number of hospitalised patients compared to last week,” Nader Tavakkoli, a member of the city’s Covid-19 task force, told semi-official news agency ISNA.
Mr Tavakkoli also raised concerns about employees returning to work and the possibility of a further rise in cases as he says that it may take nearly two weeks before the full impact of the New Year celebrations are seen.
“To fully realise the effect of the travels on the spread of the disease, we need to wait 10 more days. What is evident to us, for now, is that the fourth wave of the pandemic has hit Tehran,” he said.
New restrictions will apply in the 10 cities that make up Tehran province.
As of now, those cities have been declared high-risk “red” and “orange” zones.
The new rules will focus on halting the spread of the virus in workplaces and freeing up beds in Tehran’s hard-hit hospitals.
In red zones like the capital, officials said that one third of employees will be required to stay at home in hopes of mitigating further spread.
Tehran hospitals will now be rejecting all elective surgeries and will be converting their facilities into clinics for Covid-19 patients.
Iran’s Health Minister Saeed Namaki took to social media last week to plead with Iranians to listen to health experts.
He wrote that officials have begged, pleaded and called on people not to travel and to use the two weeks of Nowruz to help control the virus and that Iranians should expect tough days ahead.
Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi, who himself had Covid-19 last year, also spoke out.
Mr Harirchi said that the daily death toll would be likely to remain in the triple digits and well above 100 a day, saying that Iran has "1,000 to 1,050 infections in Iran daily, so when there are 123 coronavirus fatalities in one day, that constitutes a 12 per cent mortality rate”.
Iran has been one of the hardest-hit countries during the pandemic.
Initial lockdowns last year were lifted early to alleviate the nation’s economic problems, leading instead to some of the highest infection rates and the highest death toll in the region.
Iran has reported nearly 1.9 million coronavirus cases since February last year and has recorded 63,000 fatalities.
The government has begun its vaccination programme, with 161,000 doses having been administered already and more doses of vaccines expected to arrive in the country through the Covax programme.
Types of fraud
Phishing: Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
Smishing: The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
Vishing: The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
SIM swap: Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
Identity theft: Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
Prize scams: Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
* Nada El Sawy
Muguruza's singles career in stats
WTA titles 3
Prize money US$11,128,219 (Dh40,873,133.82)
Wins / losses 293 / 149
LIVING IN...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Trippier bio
Date of birth September 19, 1990
Place of birth Bury, United Kingdom
Age 26
Height 1.74 metres
Nationality England
Position Right-back
Foot Right
Results:
Men’s wheelchair 200m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 27.14; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 27.81; 3. Rheed McCracken (AUS) 27.81.
CHELSEA'S NEXT FIVE GAMES
Mar 10: Norwich(A)
Mar 13: Newcastle(H)
Mar 16: Lille(A)
Mar 19: Middlesbrough(A)
Apr 2: Brentford(H)
Sri Lanka squad
Dinesh Chandimal, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Lahiru Thirimanne, Niroshan Dickwella, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Rangana Herath, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Lakshan Sandakan, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Jeffrey Vandersay, Milinda Siriwardana, Roshen Silva, Akila Dananjaya, Charith Asalanka, Shaminda Eranga and Dhammika Prasad.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
The specs: 2018 Renault Megane
Price, base / as tested Dh52,900 / Dh59,200
Engine 1.6L in-line four-cylinder
Transmission Continuously variable transmission
Power 115hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 156Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.6L / 100km
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
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- 600-seat auditorium
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- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE%3A
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How to report a beggar
Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)
Dubai – Call 800243
Sharjah – Call 065632222
Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372
Ajman – Call 067401616
Umm Al Quwain – Call 999
Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411
