Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian tests positive for Covid-19
02 November, 2021
Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian has tested positive for coronavirus.
The country's Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said Mr Amirabdollahian is doing well and will be continuing to work from quarantine.
The foreign minister most recently hosted a summit with neigbouring nations to discuss the future of Afghanistan and the region's stability.
Iran, the worst-hit country in the region, is on the verge of its sixth wave of Covid-19 despite an accelerated vaccination programme. Bahram Einollahi, the nation's health minister, said it's "certain" Iran would see a surge in cases this month.
According to Iranian health ministry data, since the start of the pandemic in February nearly 125,000 people have died, while more than 5.8 million cases have been reported. Despite daily deaths falling since a peak of 709 a day this summer, nearly 10,000 new Covid-19 cases are detected and 105 people die every day.
Iran's inability to contain the Covid-19 virus is largely attributed to its inability to enforce a strict lockdown and a slow vaccine rollout. Iran's dire economic situation has made it near impossible for average Iranians and for the economy as a whole to survive a total lockdown.
Iran's government opted for more limited lockdowns focused on specific regions and areas largely allowing Iranians to go to work and offices rather than focusing on containing the virus. Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi has promised to prioritise the fight against Covid-19.
Sanctions and domestic government policy also slowed Iran's ability to get access to vaccines. Almost a year since jabs became available, Iran has still only vaccinated 75 per cent of its target population with one dose.
Iran is set to start nuclear talks with Europe and the US later this month to get some relief from economic sanctions.
Source: www.thenationalnews.com