Iran may have many more coronavirus cases than reported, Canadian research suggests

[applegrove]

Iran may have many more coronavirus cases than reported, Canadian research suggests

By Kate Allen Science and Technology Reporter at the Toronto Star

https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2020/02/25/iran-may-have-many-more-coronavirus-cases-than-reported-canadian-research-suggests.html

Tues., Feb. 25, 2020

"SNIP.....

The true number of coronavirus cases in Iran may be upwards of 18,000, according to a preliminary analysis by Canadian researchers, suggesting an epidemic there nearly 200 times larger than what the country has reported — and a situation with potentially grave global consequences.

A spokesperson for Iran’s health ministry said Tuesday that the country had 95 confirmed cases of COVID-19, as the disease caused by the novel coronavirus is called, and 15 deaths.

The true extent of the outbreak is “not only concerning to people in Iran, but also to Canadians and everyone else on the planet,” said Isaac Bogoch, a co-author of the analysis and an infectious disease specialist at Toronto General Hospital and the University of Toronto.

“We’re so interconnected that this is not just an Iranian problem.”

Experts have expressed concern that the extent of the outbreak in Iran is under-reported, and that uncontrolled transmission in the country could have profound consequences for limiting the global spread of the disease. Iran shares borders with or has close ties to several countries — including Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria — that have little to no capacity to detect or contain infections.

......SNIP"

[LaurenOlimina]

1. Yeah, even I could tell that.

[SidDithers]

2. Iraq, Afghanistan, Oman and Bahrain reported their first confirmed cases...

according to the WHO update yesterday.

https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200225-sitrep-36-covid-19.pdf?sfvrsn=2791b4e0_2

Switzerland, Austria, Croatia and Algeria reported their first cases according to today's update.

https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200226-sitrep-37-covid-19.pdf?sfvrsn=6126c0a4_2

Also ominous from today's update:

"For the first time, since the onset of symptoms of the first identified case of COVID-19 on 8 December 2019, there have been more new cases reported from countries outside of China than from China. "


Sid

[applegrove]

4. Oh my gosh. Some of those places have no capacity to treat the sick.

Terrifying.

[Wounded Bear]

3. Ya think?

They're saying a 10% death rate.

Odds are there are well over 1000 cases, probably 1500.

[Totally Tunsie]

5. Did you happen to see Harirchi, the Iranian Deputy Health Minister,

as he was giving a speech yesterday? As he was approaching the podium where he was being introduced, he was sweating so profusely he needed to wipe his brow, and generally looked as if he were about to collapse. The commentator confirmed he had been diagnosed with COVID-19.

Was he wearing a mask? NO, and yet there he is, infecting everyone near him. I thought only Chump was that stupid.

(Edited for correction)

[intrepidity]

6. Do you mean Harirchi, the Deputy Health Minister?

Or someone else?

[Totally Tunsie]

7. Oops - you're correct. I was operating from

(faulty) memory.

Thanks for the heads up. Will edit to correct.

[applegrove]

8. No i did not see that.

[Totally Tunsie]

9. Here's a video:

Coronavirus: Iran's deputy health minister tests positive as outbreak worsens

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51628484

[applegrove]

10. Yikes.

[Midnight Writer]

11. I feel sorry for people in these countries where the government lies to them to maintain power.

[applegrove]

12. Including the USA.

[peggysue2]

13. That would make sense because . . .

the death rate against the reported confirmed cases is much higher than expected in Iran. Either there are a lot of unreported cases or the strain of the virus Iranians are falling sick to is ever more deadly. Same could be said about Italy's outbreak. Either they're not giving accurate numbers, their response is in total chaos or the virus has turned a more lethal corner.

Which is why transparency in reporting is really important. It's the only way the scientific community can get a handle on this and ultimately reduces panic in the public.

Trump appears to want to reduce honest reporting, having told his medical teams that any updates on the virus and its spread need to be cleared through the WH.

The Squatter-in-Chief presents as great a risk as the damn virus!