Iran's handling of COVID-19 is in the spotlight after leaked data over the weekend suggested its government may have covered up the real infection rate and number of fatalities.
Leaked Government Records Suggest Cover-Up
A BBC Persian service investigation released Sunday said Iran government records suggested there had been almost 42,000 deaths from COVID-19. Furthermore, it said there were 451,024 confirmed coronavirus cases - a sharp difference from the data released to the public. Since the outbreak the government has confirmed 14,405 fatalities and 278,827 infections.
Even before the government records were leaked to the U.K. news organization there were doubts among health experts regarding Iran's actual infection rate and death toll. According to the government data the capital Tehran had the highest number of deaths from the virus at 8,120. The data said Qom had logged 1,419 deaths.
The BBC said its source was anonymous and it couldn't verify how the data was obtained. The source is quoted saying the data was leaked to "shed light on truth."
Highest Rise in Almost a Month
The BBC published the leaked data shortly after Iran announced 2,685 new confirmed COVID-19 cases - the largest increase in daily new cases for nearly a month.
Iran health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said of the new cases logged over the past 24 hours 1,423 had been admitted to medical facilities. There were 208 new fatalities linked to the virus.
As of late Sunday more than 4,000 COVID-19 patients in Iran remained in critical condition in intensive care.
Supply Shortages in Iraq Hospitals
In Iraq the virus claimed 63 more lives Sunday - bringing the national death toll to 4,868. There were 2,447 new COVID-19 infections. The national infection toll now stands at 129,151. Health facilities there have asked for added protection against the virus as well as oxygen supplies for patients in intensive care. A current heat wave is adding to the problems facing Iraq and other countries in the region - especially during the Eid al-Adha holidays.
Turkey Adds Nearly 1,000 New Cases
Turkey's health minister Fahrettin Koca said Sunday that the country added 978 new confirmed COVID-19 cases. The national infection rate is now 232,856. According to Koca, most of those with severe symptoms, which are said to be under control, were in provinces where the number of new daily cases had been climbing over the past three days. These include Konya, Mardin, Gaziantep and Ankara. The country has conducted over 4.88 million coronavirus tests. More tests will be conducted in provinces that have become recent hot spots for new COVID-19 outbreaks.
