Coronavirus News & Updates

[BATMAN]

Isnt Taaftaan a type of bread??

Taftan is a town near border crossing of Pakistan-Iran.

 

[Scorpion]

Taftan is a town near border crossing of Pakistan-Iran.

Shit...Pakistan has not shut the border with Iran yet?

 

[Falcon29]

China did implement strong measures to tackle the spread of the virus. Imposing self-isolation and policing it yielded positively.

Once they realized what it was they implemented measures in an orderly and rapid fashion which helped them a lot. But to say they only have 8 new cases over past 24 hours is not believable. There is no vaccine for the virus and it is very contagious.

 

[BATMAN]

Shit...Pakistan has not shut the border with Iran yet?

BTW.. that is Naan bread, your are confusing with Taftan.
About border, Pakistan can't close border with Iran, because current regime is Iranian puppy regime.

 

[space cadet]

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RELATED TOPICS

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• AP Top News
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Iran warns virus could kill ‘millions’ in Islamic Republic
By NASSER KARIMI and JON GAMBRELLan hour ago



1 of 9
A cleric and a woman pray behind a closed door of Masoume shrine in the city of Qom, some 80 miles (125 kilometers) south of the capital Tehran, Iran, Monday, March 16, 2020. On Monday, Iran closed the Masoume shrine, a major pilgrimage site in the city of Qom, the epicenter of the country's new coronavirus outbreak. Authorities were already restricting access and barring pilgrims from kissing or touching the shrine, but it had remained open. (AP Photo)
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran issued its most dire warning yet Tuesday about the outbreak of the new coronavirus ravaging the country, suggesting “millions” could die in the Islamic Republic if people keep traveling and ignoring health guidance.
A state television journalist who also is a medical doctor gave the warning only hours after hard-line Shiite faithful on Monday night pushed their way into the courtyards of two major shrines that had finally been closed due to the virus. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a religious ruling prohibiting “unnecessary” travel in the country.
Roughly 9 out of 10 of the over 18,000 confirmed cases of the virus in the Middle East come from Iran, where authorities denied for days the risk the outbreak posed. Officials have now implemented new checks for people trying to leave major cities ahead of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, on Friday, but have hesitated to quarantine the areas.
That’s even as the death toll in Iran saw another 13% increase Tuesday. Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said the virus had killed 135 more people to raise the total to 988 amid over 16,000 cases. Jordan prepared for a shutdown of its own, banning gatherings of more than 10 people, and neighboring Israel issued its own strict guidelines.
Most infected people experience only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, and recover within weeks. But the virus is highly contagious and can be spread by people with no visible symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

In announcing the new warning, the Iranian state TV journalist, Dr. Afruz Eslami, cited a study by Tehran’s prestigious Sharif University of Technology, which offered three scenarios: If people cooperate now, Iran will see 120,000 infections and 12,000 deaths before the outbreak is over; if they offer medium cooperation, there will be 300,000 cases and 110,000 deaths.

But if people fail to follow any guidance, it could collapse Iran’s already-strained medical system, Eslami said. If the “medical facilities are not sufficient, there will be 4 million cases, and 3.5 million people will die,” she said.

Eslami did not elaborate on what metrics the study used, but even reporting it on Iran’s tightly controlled state media represented a major change for a country whose officials had for days denied the severity of the crisis.

Underlining that urgency was the fatwa issued by Khamenei, which prohibited “unnecessary” travel. It comes as the public ignored repeated warnings and pleas from security forces. Such a decree is a rare move by Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters.

Some Iranian media later said Khamenei hadn’t issued a fatwa, though semiofficial news agencies believed to be close to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said the order had been made.

Late Monday night, angry crowds stormed the courtyards of the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad and the Fatima Masumeh shrine in Qom. Many people visit the shrine in Qom 24 hours a day, seven days a week, touching and kissing the shrine.That has worried health officials, who for weeks wanted Iran’s Shiite clergy to close them.

State TV had announced the closures earlier in the day, sparking the demonstrations.

“We are here to say that Tehran is damn wrong to do that!” one Shiite cleric shouted at the shrine in Mashhad, according to online video. Others joined him in chanting: “The health minister is damn wrong to do that, the president is damn wrong to do that!”

Police later dispersed the crowds and made arrests. In a statement, religious authorities and a prominent Qom seminary called the demonstration an “insult” to the shrine, urging the faithful to rely on “wisdom and patience” amid the closure.

Iran’s shrines draw Shiite pilgrims from all over the Mideast, likely contributing to the spread of the virus in the region. Saudi Arabia has closed off Islam’s holiest sites over the virus and on Tuesday it announced communal Friday prayers would be halted throughout the kingdom.

President Hassan Rouhani said that despite the closures, “our soul is closer to the saints more than at any time.”

State TV reported teams were deployed to screen travelers leaving major cities in 13 provinces, including the capital, Tehran. But Iran has 31 provinces and authorities haven’t tried to lock down the country the way its allies Iraq and Lebanon have done.

The teams check travelers’ temperatures and send those with fevers to quarantine centers. Iran has been urging people to stay home, but many ignore the call.

In apparent efforts to try to curb the spread, Iran has released 85,000 prisoners on temporary leave, judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said. That number included half of all “security-related” prisoners, he said without elaborating. Western nations have urged Iran to release dual nationals and others, alleging they are used as bargaining chips in negotiations.

Among those released is Mohammad Hossein Karroubi, the son of opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi, who was in jail for nearly two months.

Iran’s parliament also met via video conference.

Full Coverage: Iran
Egypt, which has 166 confirmed cases of the new virus including four deaths, announced the immediate shutdown of all movie theaters across the country until further notice.

It also locked down the Red Sea province that includes the popular resort town of Hurghada. Local authorities barred workers in all tourist sites, hotels, bazaars and restaurants from leaving the province and imposed a 14-day quarantine, according to a document from the Red Sea governor’s office obtained by The Associated Press. Visitors to the province were prohibited for the next two weeks.

Jordan deployed troops outside of major cities to block travel. It also ordered newspapers to cease publishing, banned gatherings of more than 10 people and established a quarantine zone at Dead Sea hotels. It halted all private sector work and public transportation as well.

In Oman, the sultanate announced anyone coming from abroad would be subject to quarantine.

Israel’s Defense Ministry plans to use near-empty hotels, ravaged by the crash in tourism, as recovery centers for patients diagnosed with COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. Israel also called on citizens to stay home, closing parks, museums, libraries, beaches and other public areas.

Only short walks outside with family members and pets are permitted.

In Syria, all sports clubs, movie theaters, concerts, theaters, as well as halls used for weddings or funerals were ordered closed in the capital of Damascus, and all restaurants and other shops around the country were ordered closed. Syria says it has no cases of the virus so far.

Pakistan’s number of coronavirus cases jumped to 236, although no deaths have been reported. Government critics say thousands of pilgrims were not properly screened as they arrived from Iran at the southwestern Taftan border earlier this month.

___

Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Mehdi Fattahi in Tehran, Iran, Aron Heller in Jerusalem, Omar Akour in Amman, Jordan, Bassem Mroue in Beirut and Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed.

___

The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

 

[Scorpion]

Click to copy
RELATED TOPICS

• Television
• AP Top News
• Iran
• Religion
• International News
• Middle East
• Health
• Travel
• Ali Khamenei
• Tehran
• Virus Outbreak
• General News

Iran warns virus could kill ‘millions’ in Islamic Republic
By NASSER KARIMI and JON GAMBRELLan hour ago



1 of 9
A cleric and a woman pray behind a closed door of Masoume shrine in the city of Qom, some 80 miles (125 kilometers) south of the capital Tehran, Iran, Monday, March 16, 2020. On Monday, Iran closed the Masoume shrine, a major pilgrimage site in the city of Qom, the epicenter of the country's new coronavirus outbreak. Authorities were already restricting access and barring pilgrims from kissing or touching the shrine, but it had remained open. (AP Photo)
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran issued its most dire warning yet Tuesday about the outbreak of the new coronavirus ravaging the country, suggesting “millions” could die in the Islamic Republic if people keep traveling and ignoring health guidance.
A state television journalist who also is a medical doctor gave the warning only hours after hard-line Shiite faithful on Monday night pushed their way into the courtyards of two major shrines that had finally been closed due to the virus. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a religious ruling prohibiting “unnecessary” travel in the country.
Roughly 9 out of 10 of the over 18,000 confirmed cases of the virus in the Middle East come from Iran, where authorities denied for days the risk the outbreak posed. Officials have now implemented new checks for people trying to leave major cities ahead of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, on Friday, but have hesitated to quarantine the areas.
That’s even as the death toll in Iran saw another 13% increase Tuesday. Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said the virus had killed 135 more people to raise the total to 988 amid over 16,000 cases. Jordan prepared for a shutdown of its own, banning gatherings of more than 10 people, and neighboring Israel issued its own strict guidelines.
Most infected people experience only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, and recover within weeks. But the virus is highly contagious and can be spread by people with no visible symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

In announcing the new warning, the Iranian state TV journalist, Dr. Afruz Eslami, cited a study by Tehran’s prestigious Sharif University of Technology, which offered three scenarios: If people cooperate now, Iran will see 120,000 infections and 12,000 deaths before the outbreak is over; if they offer medium cooperation, there will be 300,000 cases and 110,000 deaths.

But if people fail to follow any guidance, it could collapse Iran’s already-strained medical system, Eslami said. If the “medical facilities are not sufficient, there will be 4 million cases, and 3.5 million people will die,” she said.

Eslami did not elaborate on what metrics the study used, but even reporting it on Iran’s tightly controlled state media represented a major change for a country whose officials had for days denied the severity of the crisis.

Underlining that urgency was the fatwa issued by Khamenei, which prohibited “unnecessary” travel. It comes as the public ignored repeated warnings and pleas from security forces. Such a decree is a rare move by Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters.

Some Iranian media later said Khamenei hadn’t issued a fatwa, though semiofficial news agencies believed to be close to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said the order had been made.

Late Monday night, angry crowds stormed the courtyards of the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad and the Fatima Masumeh shrine in Qom. Many people visit the shrine in Qom 24 hours a day, seven days a week, touching and kissing the shrine.That has worried health officials, who for weeks wanted Iran’s Shiite clergy to close them.

State TV had announced the closures earlier in the day, sparking the demonstrations.

“We are here to say that Tehran is damn wrong to do that!” one Shiite cleric shouted at the shrine in Mashhad, according to online video. Others joined him in chanting: “The health minister is damn wrong to do that, the president is damn wrong to do that!”

Police later dispersed the crowds and made arrests. In a statement, religious authorities and a prominent Qom seminary called the demonstration an “insult” to the shrine, urging the faithful to rely on “wisdom and patience” amid the closure.

Iran’s shrines draw Shiite pilgrims from all over the Mideast, likely contributing to the spread of the virus in the region. Saudi Arabia has closed off Islam’s holiest sites over the virus and on Tuesday it announced communal Friday prayers would be halted throughout the kingdom.

President Hassan Rouhani said that despite the closures, “our soul is closer to the saints more than at any time.”

State TV reported teams were deployed to screen travelers leaving major cities in 13 provinces, including the capital, Tehran. But Iran has 31 provinces and authorities haven’t tried to lock down the country the way its allies Iraq and Lebanon have done.

The teams check travelers’ temperatures and send those with fevers to quarantine centers. Iran has been urging people to stay home, but many ignore the call.

In apparent efforts to try to curb the spread, Iran has released 85,000 prisoners on temporary leave, judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said. That number included half of all “security-related” prisoners, he said without elaborating. Western nations have urged Iran to release dual nationals and others, alleging they are used as bargaining chips in negotiations.

Among those released is Mohammad Hossein Karroubi, the son of opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi, who was in jail for nearly two months.

Iran’s parliament also met via video conference.

Full Coverage: Iran
Egypt, which has 166 confirmed cases of the new virus including four deaths, announced the immediate shutdown of all movie theaters across the country until further notice.

It also locked down the Red Sea province that includes the popular resort town of Hurghada. Local authorities barred workers in all tourist sites, hotels, bazaars and restaurants from leaving the province and imposed a 14-day quarantine, according to a document from the Red Sea governor’s office obtained by The Associated Press. Visitors to the province were prohibited for the next two weeks.

Jordan deployed troops outside of major cities to block travel. It also ordered newspapers to cease publishing, banned gatherings of more than 10 people and established a quarantine zone at Dead Sea hotels. It halted all private sector work and public transportation as well.

In Oman, the sultanate announced anyone coming from abroad would be subject to quarantine.

Israel’s Defense Ministry plans to use near-empty hotels, ravaged by the crash in tourism, as recovery centers for patients diagnosed with COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. Israel also called on citizens to stay home, closing parks, museums, libraries, beaches and other public areas.

Only short walks outside with family members and pets are permitted.

In Syria, all sports clubs, movie theaters, concerts, theaters, as well as halls used for weddings or funerals were ordered closed in the capital of Damascus, and all restaurants and other shops around the country were ordered closed. Syria says it has no cases of the virus so far.

Pakistan’s number of coronavirus cases jumped to 236, although no deaths have been reported. Government critics say thousands of pilgrims were not properly screened as they arrived from Iran at the southwestern Taftan border earlier this month.

___

Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Mehdi Fattahi in Tehran, Iran, Aron Heller in Jerusalem, Omar Akour in Amman, Jordan, Bassem Mroue in Beirut and Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed.

___

The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

of course. Iran lacks medical equipment and medical facilities Iranian people are not applying social distancing and self-isolation.

 

[space cadet]

these people lick door handles, they should be nuked. read the story.

 

[Scorpion]

these people lick door handles, they should be nuked. read the story.

LoL that is harsh. There are innocent people effected because of the stupidity of those igonrants.

 

[space cadet]

LoL that is harsh. There are innocent people effected because of the stupidity of those igonrants.

I was joking about the nuking, but how many innocent people are going to die all around the middle east because of these people, and not just coronavirus, this is just the cherry on the cake.

 

[Scorpion]

I was joking about the nuking, but how many innocent people are going to die all around the middle east because of these people, and not just coronavirus, this is just the cherry on the cake.

Now they hoisted by their own petard. I really feel for the innocent people in Iran. They deserve better. The mullahs fucked up Iran upside down. I meet Iranians in the UAE, they come there frequently to catch a breath and I hear all sorts of sad stories. The mullah regime is incompetent, no medical equipment, no testing kits, no protective materials..nothing. People daying in places where the virus is spread and they seem not to care. The country still open for flights coming from different parts of the world and on top of that they allow people to fly away to other countries despite knowing that many are infected. Irresponsibility at its best.

 

[Falcon29]

It's getting bad in the US. Some people losing jobs, small businesses are struggling and people hoarding supplies/food. It's likely some states will shutdown and require everyone to stay at home. I myself am preparing for at a least a month of this.

If you do get the virus and aren't rich you're screwed. Equipment could run out for those in critical condition if the number of cases don't stop increasing.

In Italy 627 dead in one day, and it keeps rising. So it's best we put life on a pause all around the world for at least a month.

 

[Falcon29]

We should have been testing long ago, New York is experiencing a big jump in cases and 18% of those infected are hospitalized. That is not good. New York governor is likely to implement a total shutdown of the state along with Illinois. At this point we need nationwide shutdown before we become like Italy.

New York had 3,000 new cases over the night. They will be in hundreds of thousands within a week and no wonder they're rushing to take these measures. Every other state needs to implement measures before the outcome and not wait till after the outcome.

 

[space cadet]

New York waited to late, NYC should have been shut down a week ago or more

 

[space cadet]

Looks like California is recommending to it's doctors to only test if the patient needs to be hospitalized. If they are just showing symptoms to send them home to self quarantine. It seems they don't need to verify the cases, there is nobody to follow their trail to see who they were in contact with.

 

[Scorpion]

No lockdown yet?