Health Ministry Raises Alarm Over Uptick in Covid Cases

Health Minister Saeed Namaki on Wednesday sounded the alarm over a slight increase in coronavirus cases in certain regions across Iran and warned against public complacency.
Despite the rising number of low and moderate risk regions, Namaki expressed "deep concerns" about more people testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, IRNA reported.
"The oversimplification of circumstances can lead to a dangerous phase. If we're hit with a new wave, it will pose a huge challenge to us," the minister said. 
Alireza Biglari, the head of Pasteur Institute of Iran, also reported details of their joint efforts with Cuba to produce a vaccine against the coronavirus.
"It's been five to six months since collaboration on developing a Covid-19 vaccine has started between the two countries," he said.
According to the health official, phase one and two of human trials carried out in Cuba has concluded successfully with "remarkable results".
"Since we are certain that the vaccine has shown no side effects in Cuba, we can be sure that the third phase conducted simultaneously in Cuba and Iran will have good results," Biglari said.
Sima Sadat Lari, spokeswoman of Health Ministry, said Iran recorded 6,300 confirmed cases of coronavirus in one day, taking the total number past 1.3 million.
"Over the past 24 hours, 97 Covid-19 patients lost their lives, bringing the national death toll to 56,450," she said.
More than 1.09 million have either fully recovered from the respiratory illness or were well enough to be discharged from hospitals and 4,600 are in critical condition.
Laboratories around the country have so far administered 8.3 million diagnostic tests, Lari said.
The worldwide Covid-19 cases crossed 92.1 million on Wednesday and the death toll reached 1.97 million.