Posted on 03/12/2020 11:06:38 AM PDT by Red Badger
Two days after Iran declared its first cases of the novel coronavirus - in what would become one of the largest outbreaks of the illness outside of China - evidence of unusual activity appeared at a cemetery near where the infections emerged.
At the Behesht-e Masoumeh complex in Qom, about 80 miles south of Tehran, the excavation of a new section of the graveyard began as early as Feb. 21, satellite images show, and then rapidly expanded as the virus spread. By the end of the month, two large trenches - their lengths totaling 100 yards - were visible at the site from space.
According to expert analysis, video testimony and official statements, the graves were dug to accommodate the rising number of virus victims in Qom.
Iran, a nation of about 80 million people, has suffered a particularly deadly surge of coronavirus infections, including among its top leadership. Iran's Health Ministry says that 429 people have died of the virus, which causes the disease known as covid-19, and more than 10,000 have fallen ill. Among the dead are members of parliament, a former diplomat and even a senior adviser to the Supreme Leader. At least two dozen other officials, including a vice president, have been infected.
In Qom, the spiritual center of Iran's ruling Shiite clerics, more than 846 people have contracted the virus, officials say. Iran's government has not released an official death toll for Qom, however, where about 1.2 million people live. But videos, satellite images and other open-source data from the cemetery - a vast complex six miles north of the city center - suggest that the number of people struck down by the virus there is significantly higher than the official figure.
A senior imagery analyst at Maxar Technologies in Colorado said the size of the trenches and the speed with which they were excavated together mark a clear departure from past burial practices involving individual and family plots at the site. In addition to satellite imagery, videos posted on social media from the cemetery show the extended rows of graves at Behesht-e Masoumeh and say they are meant for coronavirus victims.
No, they weren't looking. But they heard you!
why Iran?
Why did Iran get this virus in a large amount?
Did they have connections to China, like Italy?
They certainly were not using any practices that others in the region would not be using.
I just do not understand why??
Yeah, that’s a dumb statement (not you, the people that say that). A work buddy and I were marveling at the stupidity of that statement about 20 years ago, with no context we were aware of whether they were talking about astronauts or satellites with optics. Without even knowing what is or is not visible from space, that statement is self-evidently stupid. The GW is like 10’ wide, so it’s obvious that if you can see that from space, you can see freeways, large buildings, all sorts of stuff.
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