ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN Flash Update As of 21 April 2020 Highlights • Islamic Republic of Iran is the eighth-worst affected country by COVID-19 in the world; Nearly 85,000 cases have been detected; 5,297 people have died; • Continuing floods and rising water level have caused extensive damage to the peoples’ livelihood and farm lands; four persons were killed, 50 people were rescued in the past week. Coronavirus COVID-19 Situation overview: Between 16 and 21 April, 8,413 new COVID-19 cases, including 520 deaths were confirmed in the Islamic Republic of Iran. This brings the cumulative to 84,802 cases detected with 5,297 deaths. In total, 59,273 patients have 5,297 recovered. The officially confirmed cases and deaths have decreased in the past week. Iran is, however, the deaths eighth-worst affected country in the world with increasing incidence reported in at least 8 of 31 provinces. The Iranian Government opened intercity highways and major shopping centres from 20 April to stimulate its economy. This is a part of the country’s ‘Smart Distancing Plan’ which has allowed the resumption of ‘low risk business’ from 11 April in all provinces except Tehran, and from 18 April in Tehran. Mosques and other religious places remain closed until 4 May while the month of Ramadan is expected to start from 23 April this year. Humanitarian impact/needs: On 20 April, the country’s traffic counting systems marked an increase of about 5.6 percent in traffic volume compared to the previous day. Overcrowded buses and metro wagons were observed. The Ministry of Health and Medical Education of Iran and health workers who are at the frontline of the COVID-19 response have relentlessly cautioned against the relaxation of physical distancing measures. Earlier on 13 April, WHO expressed its concern 84,802 reported cases over a plan of restriction removal by some countries including Iran. It recommends countries to make sure the necessary measures to control the outbreak are in place before lifting restrictions. The measures include the transmission control, the availability of sufficient public health and medical services, and public awareness and engagement in the health protocols. The overstretched response to the COVID-19 is impacting on the waste management system of the country. According to the Waste Management Director of Tehran municipality, hospitals in Tehran produced around 60 to 80 metric tons of waste per day before the outbreak, while it is now producing 100 metric tons. An upgrade of waste collection fleet has been an urgent need. In response to the need, United Nations Industrial Development Organization and the Government of China announced the joint initiative to finance a project for medical waste management in Iran. The project will also supply the advanced equipment to manage waste. 8,413 Humanitarian response and coordination: new cases To date, the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) has collected non-cash public donations worth about US$9 million to counter COVID-19 outbreak. A part of donations was allocated to provide the deprived and unprivileged areas, and 500,000 patients who suffer from special diseases with health and essential items. Another part was allocated to provide the COVID-19 patients in hospitals with 100 ventilators, and charities and public participation with 52 devices. The IRCS has implemented more than 980 voluntary plans and projects with 72,694 volunteers across the country since the onset of the outbreak. Afghan refugees have also been included in the country’s response. In Kerman Province, 10 percent of which population is Afghan, 5,000 hygiene packages were distributed. Additionally, Rafsanjan and Barsir settlements for Afghan nationals have been disinfected. So far, no deaths due to the COVID-19 have been recorded among the Afghan population in Kerman. Earlier on 7 April, President Hassan Rouhani confirmed that the Afghan nationals would be tested and treated free of charge. Further, the President requested the governors of several provinces to 59,273 carefully observe the health protocols at the boarders with Afghanistan in response to the continuing return of recovered Afghan refugees. Disclaimer: This document is subject to availability of data by the time of circulation and does not claim to be exhaustive or fully verified. The next Flash Update on the humanitarian impact will be issued as soon as more information is available. Creation date: 21 April 2020 Sources: UNCT, WHO-EMRO, MoHME Feedback: [email protected] www.unocha.org www.reliefweb.int ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN Flash Update As of 21 April 2020 Floods Situation overview: Continuing heavy rains have affected and damaged the vast areas of Iran. Central and eastern provinces of the country, such as Tehran, Isfahan, Alborz, South Khorasan, North Khorasan, Semnan, Qom, Qazvin, Kerman, 18 affected Kermanshah, Golestan, Gilan, Lorestan, Markazi and Yazd, have specifically been affected. Since the first seasonal provinces floods in March 20 to date, approximately 10,000 kilometres of roads across the country have been damaged. This equals to $56 million losses in total. Humanitarian impact/needs: Due to the heavy rainfall events during 15 and 16 April, four people have lost their lives in Yazd and Markazi Provinces. Two of them were female children who were found in a floating car. On 16 April, a torrential rainfall has triggered a flooding in a number of areas including agricultural lands of Kerman Province. In Shahdad town, where severe damages were reported, the floods have damaged the 20 to 80 percent of farm lands for wheat and other crops. Properties of hundreds of people were also affected, and the electricity in 25 villages were cut off. On 17 April, a heavy rainfall and the rising floodwaters washed away 23 vehicles in the Parand town in Teheran Province. Reportedly, the necessary infrastructures to prevent the damages have been put on hold for a long in spite of the regular heavy rainfalls. In both cases,no injuries and casualties have so far been reported. In Qom Province, dams were overflowed due to the continuing heavy rainfalls during the past week. The estimated damages to the agricultural lands of Qom Province caused by floods between 20 March and 20 April is $2.5 million. Humanitarian response and coordination: In Kerman Province, the IRCS provided 87 affected people with relief services after the heavy rainfall on 16 April. Additionally, the affected families in 10 villages have received relief and food items by the IRCS relief workers. In Shahdad town, where severe damages were reported, air relief teams were deployed to provide the relief service and necessary items. In Parand of Teheran Province, the IRCS has rescued 50 people following the heavy rain fall on 17 April. In Golestan, the mayor has allocated $225,000 for the distribution of home appliances such as refrigerators, air conditioners, and blankets and to recover the damaged infrastructures. Desert locusts Situation overview: New waves of desert locust have been spotted in many southern provinces of the country. The most affected six provinces, including Sistan and Baluchistan, Hormozgan, Bushehr, Fars, Khuzestan and southern Kerman, continue 6 affected to fight against the desert locust. In Kerman, the Iranian Government have confirmed that a second wave of desert provinces locust is approaching the southern part of the province. On 20 April, it is announced that a new wave of the desert locust is expected to invade the southern provinces of Iran within the next two weeks. Humanitarian impact/needs: More than 5 million hectares of land in the locust-stricken provinces have been surveyed to detect the presence of desert locust. According to evaluations made for Bushehr Province in the past week, desert locusts have not harmed agricultural products. However, the pest has damaged 4.8 million tons of agricultural products in the area. Humanitarian response and coordination: As of 19 April, in total 100,000 hectares of the affected areas in the six provinces have been treated. The Iranian government has so far allocated nearly $6 million to combat the desert locust. The Plant Protection Organization of the Ministry of Agriculture has announced that an additional $6.12 million is to be allocated to combat the locust. Disclaimer: This document is subject to availability of data by the time of circulation and does not claim to be exhaustive or fully verified. The next Flash Update on the humanitarian impact will be issued as soon as more information is available. Creation date: 21 April 2020 Sources: UNCT, WHO-EMRO, MoHME Feedback: [email protected] www.unocha.org www.reliefweb.int.