Iran’s deputy health minister contracts coronavirus 24-hours after downplaying preventive measures

Iran’s deputy health minister, Iraj Harirchi, has tested positive for the novel coronavirus disease, the BBC reports.

This was confirmed by a spokesperson at the country’s health ministry. According to him, Iraj Harirchi was infected with Covid-19 and is under quarantine.

It comes a day after he (the deputy health minister) was seen in a televised news conference coughing and sweating alongside.

He had said a day before he tested positive that he did not believe in some measures being adopted across the globe in dealing with the disease.

Countries that have recorded cases of the disease have quarantined persons suspected to be infected with the disease. But Iraj Harirchi said, he did not believe in such measures because they were outmoded.

The development has sparked fears among top government officials since most of them had interacted with the health minister prior to testing positive.

The president of Iran has called for calm among citizens saying, “we will get through it,” the BBC reported.

The Iranian government has said that 90 cases have so far been recorded but this figure is in dispute. Many believe the figure is much higher than the earlier stated numbers.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has described the increasing number of cases as “deeply concerning”.

Over 80,000 covid-19 cases have been recorded world wide with over 2,700 deaths, predominately in China.

Iran is grappling with the needed medical equipment to help contain the virus. The country has currently run out of medical masks and testing kits.

The situation is dire as a number of medical workers have also been infected with the virus.

There are fears Iran may soon run out of nurses and doctors to attend to the sick, especially those with the disease because some of them have been quarantined.