TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran on Saturday began a 10-day lockdown amid a fourth wave of coronavirus infections, state TV reported, a worrisome trend after more than a year of the country battling the Middle East’s worst outbreak. The severe surge in infections follows a two-week public holiday for Nowruz, the Persian New Year. Only some 200,000 doses have been administered in the country of 84 million, according to the World Health Organization. Authorities have done little to enforce lockdown restrictions and originally resisted a nationwide lockdown to salvage an economy already devastated by tough U.S. sanctions. The measures have been introduced amid a low demand in vaccinations among Iraqis, many of whom remain suspicious of the government’s inoculation plans.

Source: Egypt Independent April 10, 2021 13:52 UTC