--- title: "Iranian Health Minister Plays Down Virus Outbreak, Then Catches It" description: "Iran health ministry confirmed today in an interview that the country's deputy health minister Iraj Harirchi has tested positive for COVID-19." date: "2020-02-25" modified: "2020-02-25" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/iran-health-minister-covid-19-outbreak-catches-it" categories: - "Developments" - "Health & Medicine" tags: - "coronavirus" - "covid-19" - "iran" --- # Iranian Health Minister Plays Down Virus Outbreak, Then Catches It ![Iran health ministry confirmed today in an interview that the country's deputy health minister Iraj Harirchi has tested positive for COVID-19.]() *\Image: IRIB\* Iran confirmed today that the country's deputy health minister Iraj Harirchi has tested positive for COVID-19, [*Reuters* reports](). In a video released today, Harirchi claimed he was self-isolating and starting medication. It's an awkward predicament for the minister. On Monday, he was seen repeatedly mopping his brow and occasionally coughing at a conference where Iranian authorities downplayed the scale of the coronavirus outbreak in the country, the [*BBC* reports](). Officials claimed there are 95 cases of the deadly virus in Iran — but experts expect the number to be much higher, according to the *BBC*. The virus is sweeping the globe at an alarming rate. At press time, [more than 80,000 cases]() have been confirmed worldwide, with roughly 2,700 deaths. Outbreaks in Italy, South Korea and Iran have officials worried that the outbreak can [no longer be contained](), according to World Health Organization officials. The outbreak in Iran is particularly troubling, with large assembly areas including places of worship still welcoming pilgrims from around the globe. "We will definitely be victorious against this virus in the next few weeks," Haririchi said in the video posted to Twitter, as translated by the *BBC*. ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()