Health workers make up 10 percent of diagnosed COVID-19 cases, says expert
Approximately 10 percent of diagnosed COVID-19 cases in Turkey consist of health workers, a member of the Turkish Health Ministry’s Social Sciences Board said. "More than 40,000 healthcare workers have been infected with the virus since the outset of the pandemic, and more than 100 of them, half of whom were doctors, lost their lives," Prof. Dr. Mustafa Necmi İlhan said on Nov. 6.
Duvar English
One out of every 10 people diagnosed with the novel coronavirus is a health worker, said a member of the Turkish Health Ministry’s Social Sciences Board.
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Necmi İlhan said that the burden on the healthcare personnel will further increase with the upcoming winter influenza season and called on people to comply with the COVID-19 measures more than ever now.
“The number of people that have been diagnosed with COVID-19 has neared 400,000 in Turkey. More than 40,000 healthcare workers have been infected with the virus since the outset of the pandemic, and more than 100 of them, half of whom were doctors, lost their lives. In other words, approximately one out of every 10 people who have been so far diagnosed with the coronavirus is a healthcare worker,” İlhan was quoted as saying by online news portal T24 on Nov. 6.
İlhan said that healthcare workers have been working under strained conditions, recalling the Health Ministry's recent decree suspending annual leaves for the group.
“At this point, we want citizens to support the healthcare staff,” he said.
İlhan's statements came as Turkey on Nov. 6 registered 2,436 more COVID-19 “patients,” according to Health Ministry data. The country's overall tally now stands at 389,256, the ministry said. The death toll rose by 83 to reach 10,722.