Covid-19 Deaths Top 45,000

Iran’s Health Ministry on Monday recorded over 450 deaths caused by SARS-CoV-2 in one day, pushing the national toll past 45,000, as the country entered the third day of nationwide restrictions to curb the pandemic. 
“Within 24 hours, 12,460 new coronavirus infections were registered, taking the tally of cases to over 866,000,” Health Ministry’s Spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari was quoted as saying by ISNA.
Tehran Police Chief Hossein Rahimi said the new protocols imposed since Saturday have reduced movement in the capital of Tehran by 50% during the day and by 70% at night. 
The police have also started to enforce the mandatory facemask wearing order issued over the summer by the National Coronavirus Taskforce. 
During the first two days of the partial lockdown, “some 2,600 residents of the capital who had not covered their face have been detected by surveillance cameras,” Rahimi said. 
“Over 36,000 text messages have been sent to residents who violated the night curfew,” he said, noting that each has been handed out a fine of 2 million rials ($7.8).
The government has imposed a curfew from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. in cities hit hardest by the pandemic to curb infections and prevent public gatherings, which according to health officials, account for 51% of transmissions.
The police chief said, “Passengers using the subway have dropped by 25%.” The scheme also requires the presence of one-third of employees in offices, which has helped reduce movements in the overcrowded city.
“The restrictive measures, if strictly enforced, can decrease hospital visits in two weeks and the death rate in one month,” Lari said.

Asymptomatic Carriers 

As the cold weather drives more and more people into enclosed spaces where ventilation is poor, Alireza Zali, the head of Tehran’s Coronavirus Taskforce, warned that younger members of the family could be silent carriers of the coronavirus. 
“Family gatherings are one of the main avenues of transmission. Due to their strong immune system, younger people can be dangerous and active carriers of SARS-CoV-2,” he added.
Zali noted that the presence of the elderly in family gatherings can increase Covid-19 death rates in the country and asked the public not to hold or attend private social events. 
“More than 610,000 have recovered from the respiratory illness and 5,812 are in critical condition,” Lari said. 
“Laboratories throughout the nation have conducted 5.82 million coronavirus tests since the virus was first spotted in the country.”
Worldwide coronavirus infections surpassed 59 million on Monday and deaths reached 1.39 million.