Turkey reports 4th coronavirus death as cases surge to 359

Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said late on March 19 that the death toll from coronavirus increased to four in Turkey and the number of confirmed cases surged to 359. The latest victim was a 85-year-old woman, Koca said.

Thursday March 19 2020 05:08 pm

Duvar English

Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced the country's fourth coronavirus death late on March 19, as the number of cases rose to 359.

The number of confirmed cases was 191 on March 18.

Koca said on Twitter that 1,981 tests had been conducted in the past 24 hours, 168 of which came back positive.

The latest victim was a 85-year-old woman, he said.

Son 24 saatte yapılan 1.981 TESTTEN 168’İ POZİTİF ÇIKTI. 191 olan hasta sayımız 359’a ulaştı. Hastalarımızdan 85 yaşındaki bir hanımefendiyi kaybettik. Daha önce vefat eden bir hasta COVID-19 olarak değerlendirildi. Toplam kaybımız maalesef 4 oldu. Acımız arttı ama başaracağız.
— Dr. Fahrettin Koca (@drfahrettinkoca) March 19, 2020

Turkey links death of former general to coronavirus

Earlier on March 19, Koca had addressed the parliament, saying the third person to die because of the virus was former Land Forces Commander Gen. Aytaç Yalman.

Yalman's cause of death was initially cited as pneumonia.

Former Land Forces Commander Gen. Aytaç Yalman.

Yalman was 80 years old when lost his life on March 16 at Sultan Abdülhamid Han Training and Research Hospital, formerly known as GATA, in Istanbul.

A coronavirus test conducted for Yalman came out initially negative, Koca said. However, once tests were conducted for Yalman's close circle and some tests came out positive, it has been understood that the former general had suffered from coronavirus.

“Can a test initially be negative and then positive? Yes it can be. We are starting to observe this. There are situations which are reverse. For example, there are patients in intensive care who have initially tested positive [for the virus], but then negative three days later, and then positive again seven days later,” Koca said.

Sultan Abdülhamid Han Training and Research Hospital also released a statement regarding the death of Yalman, saying: “Considering the fact that the test result of his [Yalman's] wife came out positive for COVID-19 and the clinical symptoms of Aytaç Yalman were in line [with coronavirus], we have reached the opinion that he died from COVID-19.”