Shopkeeper in Grand Bazaar 'first person to be diagnosed with coronavirus'

A shopkeeper in Istanbul's historic Grand Bazaar was reportedly the first person to be diagnosed with the novel coronavirus in Turkey. A video on social media showed two healthcare workers in medical gears talking to two shopkeepers. "You know, the first case is from here and it has been increasing. It was here, in your bazaar," one of the healthcare workers says in the video.

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A shopkeeper in Istanbul's historic Grand Bazaar was reportedly the first person to be diagnosed with the novel coronavirus in Turkey.

Healthcare teams on March 17 carried out disinfection works in the bazaar, one of Istanbul's most touristic areas, as they urged shopkeepers to follow the precautions to refrain from getting infected by the virus.

A video on social media showed two healthcare workers in medical gears talking to two shopkeepers, saying that the first person to be diagnosed with coronavirus in Turkey was a shopkeeper in the bazaar.

"You know, the first case is from here and it has been increasing. It was here, in your bazaar," one of the healthcare workers says in the video.

Grand Bazaar's Board Chairman Fatih Kurtulmuş previously refuted claims that the first case was from the bazaar.

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"Two shopkeepers alleged to have been diagnosed with coronavirus were tested and their results were negative," Kurtulmuş said.