Hard-hit Iran on Monday registered more than 100 new deaths from COVID-19 over a 24-hour period as the aggressive omicron variant spreads in the country, state TV reported. The report said 104 patients died from the disease since Sunday, when the Islamic Republic announced 85 new deaths over a day’s time. Monday’s new tally more than doubled that of Feb. 1, when the death toll was 50.
With 132,934 total deaths by Iran’s official count, the country has the highest national toll in the Middle East. Iran says it has has vaccinated some 80% of its population above age 18 with two vaccine shots. It has only vaccinated 27% of that group with three shots.
Authorities say aggressive omicron variant is now dominant in country and have urged hospitals to prepare for a new wave of hospitalizations. “Every day we see a 10 to 15 percent increase in cases,” said Nader Tavakkoli a health official in Tehran province, the semiofficial ISNA news agency reported on Monday. The Monday report said 2,615 patients were in critical condition—220 more than Sunday.