COVID-19: Iran shuts land borders with neighbours for 15 days to prevent Omicron spread

Iran on Saturday announced that it was sealing off its borders with the neighbouring countries for at least 15 days after cases of Omicron B.1.1.529 case were detected in the country. In an attempt to curb the spread of the COVID-19 variant of Omicron Ruhollah Latifi, spokesman for Iran's Customs said that Tehran has promptly shut the land borders with countries where the Omicron cases have drastically risen—including Turkey, Iraq, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, and Armenia. Effective December 25, Iran will remain shut to the foreign travellers for over half a month, until further notice, Xinhua reported, citing the local news outlets. 

As of December 26, the Islamic Republic has registered 1,121 new COVID-19 cases, Iran’s Health Ministry on Saturday reported citing the data. This has pushed the country’s total infections to 6,182,905. In the last 24 hours, the country recorded over 42 fatalities, pushing the death toll to 131,348, the health ministry said, adding that 2,781 COVID-19 cases are now being treated at the intensive care units and have needed hospital intervention. 

Iran detected its first Omicron case on December 19 in a traveller who returned from the United Arab Emirates [UAE]. Health officials immediately instated the health safety protocols countrywide. A ministry official told state television that the highly contagious and mutated variant of the novel COVID-19 was detected in a middle-aged Iranian man, and that the officials were now monitoring two more suspected cases of Omicron. 

60% of the total population in Iran vaccinated against COVID-19

At least 60 percent of the total population in the Islamic Republic has been vaccinated against the coronavirus. Iran also recently started administering booster shots among the vulnerable population, according to reports. As the Delta variant spread worldwide, the country earlier this year reported a record-breaking daily surge in COVID-19 mortality just days after the Iranian government relaxed all coronavirus-related restrictions. 

A record number of COVID-related deaths were also registered in the country that has triggered fears about the Omicron spread and healthcare facilities overwhelming. During the Delta surge for the first time since the pandemic began in December 2019, officials reported 684 deaths in a matter of 24 hours in Iran. Raisi had then said that controlling the coronavirus, improving the health situation, and mass vaccination are the government's top priorities and the authorities would not hesitate to close the borders as the economy and livelihood condition is the second priority. Iran only recently emerged out of the "fifth wave" of pandemic.