Radio Farda's ongoing investigation of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) death toll in Iran shows at least 3,100 more deaths occurred as of Monday bringing the total to 6,872 in comparison with the officially announced 3,739 number.
According to the latest announcement of the Iranian Health Ministry on Monday the death toll rose by 136 in the past 24 hours and 2,274 new cases were identified during the same period. The Health Ministry also said currently 4,083 coronavirus patients are in "critical situation" but 24,236 have recovered so far.
Our ongoing investigation also indicates that 94,956 patients have been isolated or hospitalized with coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms, as of late Sunday. The figure is at least 34,500 more than the official government number and includes patients with respiratory symptoms who have sought medical care but have not been tested.
Radio Farda's collected data sums up figures released by local officials and the Health Ministry in Tehran as well as media reports across Iran.
Iran authorities are still reluctant to disclose the number of people who died of the disease in the provinces of Tehran and Qom.
Furthermore, there is no official report available separating the number of victims in each city and province.
The Ministry of Health insists that it only provides figures based on the number of people who have tested positive for COVID-19, after three tests at various intervals. However, testing is limited and many cases go unreported. According to Iranian health officials so far 180,000 Iranians have been tested for coronavirus.
Iran's Health Ministry Spokesman on Sunday criticized China's coronavirus figures and reports, calling them "a bitter joke". Dr. Kianush Jahanpur on April 5 said statistics from China made many in the world think the new virus caused an illness "just like influenza", even with fewer deaths".
“If in China they say an epidemic was controlled in two months, one should really think about it,” he said. Dr. Jahanpur's remarks have caused a political and diplomatic uproar and drawn criticism from Iranian hardliners who advocate a strong political alliance with China.
