Pedestrians wearing face masks walk on a sidewalk in western Tehran, Iran. Photo / AP
Pedestrians wearing face masks walk on a sidewalk in western Tehran, Iran. Photo / AP
Heartbreaking footage has emerged of a man suspected of having coronavirus being refused medical aid while lying helpless in the streets of Iran.
Crossing more borders, the new coronavirus hit a milestone Saturday, infecting more than 100,000 people worldwide as it wove itself deeper into the daily lives of millions, infecting the powerful, the unprotected poor and vast masses in between.
The disturbing vision comes from an Iranian news outlet showing a man lying helpless after falling several times and hitting his head. Despite several calls by distraught locals, hospitals apparently said they had no ambulances to spare, according to the clip.
The video ends with a bystander taking the injured man to hospital in his own car.
Bandar Anzali, N #Iran Voice says man, suspected of #COVID19, has fallen several times and hit his head, but despite several calls by distraught locals, hospitals say they don't have ambulances. In the end, another man takes him to the hospital in his own car. pic.twitter.com/xzCEVUcOxL
The virus, which has killed more than 3400 people and emerged in more than 90 countries, edged into more US states and even breached the halls of the Vatican.
It forced mosques in Iran and beyond to halt weekly Muslim prayers, blocked pilgrims from Jesus' birthplace in Bethlehem and up-ended Japan's plans for the Olympic torch parade.
WHO urged all countries to make containing the outbreak of COVID-19 their top priority, pointing to Iran's "national action plan" to combat one of the world's worst outbreaks after a slow start.
"We're all in this together. We all have a role to play," said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, chief of the World Health Organisation, urging more global co-operation from the business world and solidarity with the poorest.
More than 4990 cases of the coronavirus, known as Covid-19, have been confirmed across the Middle East. Iran and Italy have the world's highest death tolls outside China.
Iran
Iranian authorities warned they may use "force" to limit travel between cities and announced the new coronavirus has killed 124 people amid 4747 confirmed cases in the Islamic Republic.
A member of the government's task force has estimated that between 30 and 40 per cent of the capital, Tehran, could contract the coronavirus by the end of this month – more than 1.5 million people.
Accounts from inside Iran describe a country in increasing panic over the coronavirus, which independent research has suggested is out of control. Hospitals are so full that people with lung infections are being sent home, there are few diagnostic kits and doctors are watching international satellite channels to get extra information on how to treat patients.
Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour offered the figures at a televised news conference. He did not elaborate on the threat to use force, though he acknowledged the virus now was in all of Iran's 31 provinces.
Iran on Thursday announced it would put checkpoints in place to limit travel between major cities, hoping to stem the spread of the virus.
