Health minister advises Turks who traveled overseas to self-isolate over coronavirus fears
Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has advised self-isolation for Turks who have recently traveled abroad due to the novel coronavirus. “Our citizens should avoid going abroad unless necessary, and those who do should isolate themselves at home for 14 days,” he said on March 5.
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Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has advised citizens who have recently traveled abroad to isolate themselves at home for 14 days because of the novel coronavirus.
“Ourcitizens should avoid going abroad unless necessary, and those who doshould isolate themselves at home for 14 days,” he told a newsconference on March 5.
“Everyone who goes abroad and comes back is a potential virus carrier. The virus may not manifest itself as illness up to 14 days, this is why I said [previously] that the virus is among us,” he said, referring to his previous remark that there might be citizens who have been already infected by the virus of whom the authorities are not aware.
Healso said that the slow response by European countries was puttingTurks at risk.
The minister said 1,363 suspected cases in Turkey had been tested for coronavirus, but none were positive.
Turkey has already suspended all passenger flights from and to China, Iran, Iraq, Italy and South Korea in the wake of an increasing number of coronavirus infections and deaths in those countries.