Coronavirus (Covid-19) Leaps Over Turkey, too: The First Coronavirus Case Announced by Turkish Authorities

Turkey has announced its first confirmed case of Covid-19. So, the news ended weeks of speculation over whether the tourism and travel hub with a large refugee population would be able to avoid the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The patient was a Turkish national who had recently returned from Europe, Turkey’s Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said early on Wednesday. The man, his family and others who had come into contact with him were currently in quarantine, Koca said. The health minister did not provide any more details in order to protect the patient’s right to privacy.

Turkey was One of Two Countries in the World with No Case of Coronavirus So Far

According to the minister, “An early diagnosis was made. If there is an infection in the country, it is very limited”. “The coronavirus is not stronger than the measures we will take.”, he added.

There are still some suspected people in Turkey. Therefore, hospitals in Istanbul and the capital, Ankara, are paying great attention. The ministry of health uses every facility to prevent the virus to spread more. Fahrettin Koca, the ministry of health, added that Turkish citizens should avoid travelling abroad if possible. The ministry cancelled all planned holidays of healthcare professionals as a precaution.

3 Other Cases Recorded in the Island (Cyprus)

Last week, a German tourist visited the breakaway state of Northern Cyprus. So, Turkey diagnosed the tourist with Covid-19 on Tuesday. On the other hand, the ministry confirmed two more cases on the Greek side of the island. Turkey is a tourist hub linking Europe and western Asia. The country had around 50 million visitors last year. It is also hosting to the largest refugee population in the world, mostly Syrians displaced by the neighbouring civil war. Turkey, however, took preemptive measures to halt the spread of the virus. The measures include shutting its border with Iran and cancelling flights to several destinations with high rates of infection. Iran, by the way, is one of the worst affected countries in the world with Italy.

Turkey’s Magnificent Importance on Spreading the Virus,

The Red Cross, Red Crescent and The International Organization for Migration (IOM) have made an announcement on the issue. According to these organizations, Covid-19 could have catastrophic effects in case it reaches vulnerable undocumented and refugee populations in the Middle East, including Turkey.

The local municipality of Edirne, the closest town to the Greek border, cancelled a festival on Tuesday as a precaution against to coronavirus.

How Can You Protect Yourself from Coronavirus Outbreak?

The World Health Organization is recommending that people take simple precautions to reduce exposure to and transmission of the Wuhan coronavirus. Even though there is no specific cure or vaccine, here are some tips to avoid the coronavirus:

The UN agency advises people to:

• Frequently wash their hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or warm water and soap

• Cover their mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue when sneezing or coughing

• Avoid close contact with anyone who has a fever or cough

• Seek early medical help if they have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, and share their travel history with healthcare providers

• Avoid direct, unprotected contact with live animals and surfaces in contact with animals when visiting live markets in affected areas

• Avoid eating raw or undercooked animal products and exercise care when handling raw meat, milk or animal organs to avoid cross-contamination with uncooked foods.

Despite a surge in sales of face masks in the aftermath of the coronavirus outbreak, experts have different views over whether they can prevent transmission and infection. There is some evidence to suggest that masks can help prevent hand-to-mouth transmissions, given a large number of times people touch their faces. The consensus appears to be that wearing a mask can limit – but not eliminate – the risks. But this is valid in case people use face masks correctly.