Iran estimates it has 25 million coronavirus infections

Iran’s president on Saturday estimated as many as 25 million Iranians could have been infected with coronavirus since outbreak’s beginning, as he urged public to take pandemic seriously, state-run IRNA news ncy reported Saturday.

Hassan Rouhani cited a new Iranian Health Ministry study in offering unprecedentedly high numbers.

Rouhani also said about 30 to 35 million will be infected to virus in coming months.

“We have to estimate that 30 to 35 million people will be exposed to virus, which is very important”, Rouhani ded.

Iranians officials have t explained on what report’s estimates are based. study has so far t been me publicly available.

Referring to report, Rouhani said it also predicts that number of hospitalizations will soon be “twice as many as we have seen in last 150 days.”

Iran has seen worst outbreak in Middle East, with more than 270,000 confirmed cases and at least 13,979 deaths. That includes 2,166 new cases and 188 deaths in last 24 hours, according to Health Ministry.

Authorities in capital of Tehran are imposing new restrictions from Saturday, amid severe increase in cases in recent weeks, closing some public s like coffee shops, zoos, and indoor swimming pools.

Rouhani’s most recent remarks show that questions remain over country’s official figures from outbreak, even after officials have publicly ackwledged its importance.

Before Iran reported its first cases of virus in February, authorities denied it h reached country for days, allowing virus time to spre as nation marked 41st anniversary of Islamic Revolution with mass demonstrations and n held a parliamentary election in which authorities desperately sought to boost turut.

A parliamentary report in April said Iran’s death toll is likely nearly double officially reported figures. Given insufficient testing, report said number of people infected at time was probably “eight to 10 times” higher than reported figures.

Even today, Iranian death tolls remain based on those who died in coronavirus wards in hospitals. However, it’s believed that many more died at home, and some families have reportedly asked doctors t to mention ir loved ones died of virus to avoid stigma associated with COVID-19, illness caused by virus.