Iran’s former ambassador to the Vatican, prominent cleric Hadi Khosrowshahi, has died of Corona-virus after being treated in hospital, according to state media. He is the highest-profile casualty of the epidemic so far.
Khoswrowshahi, 81, died in hospital on Thursday, bringing the country’s death toll up to 26. There are 245 confirmed cases of Corona-virus in Iran, including a handful of other government officials.
The deputy health minister, vice president for women and family affairs, and head of Iran’s parliamentary security and foreign relations commission have all tested positive for the virus. At least 24 Iranians have recovered from the disease following treatment.
The epidemic is proving unusually virulent in Iran, forcing the closure of schools and universities and, as of Wednesday, the partial closure of some Shiite holy sites.
Corona-virus has infected upwards of 82,000 people worldwide, upending everything from the global economy to religious ritual, forcing border closures, and severing transit routes.
Saudi Arabia imposed a ban on religious pilgrimages to Mecca and Medina earlier this week, announcing no more pilgrims and tourists seeking to visit the holy shrines would be permitted entry until further notice.
The Dow-Jones plunged over 900 points in the US, while the IMF has revised growth forecasts for China’s economy downward 0.6 percent. Oxford Economics has predicted as much as $1.1 trillion could be wiped out of global GDP for 2020 due to the epidemic.
RT. com / ABC Flash Point News 2020.
Bio-Warfare @ the Highest Level?
Sure looks like it?