Declare your own state of emergency, Turkey's health minister says

Duvar English

Turkey postpones events until end-April over coronavirus

Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has urged people to declare their own state of emergencies, as he commented on the increasing number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the country.

"Everyone should declare their own state of emergencies. The more we are strict on the issue, the more we prevent the virus from spreading," Koca told daily Hürriyet on March 19, adding that there is no need to declare a nationwide state of emergency.

"They ask me whether we will declare a state of emergency. There is no need to do that. You should take your own measures," he also said.

Saying that the virus spread can peak in the next two to three weeks, Koca noted that people should refrain from going outside and stay at home instead.

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When asked about the clinical tests, Koca said that if a person is tested negative for coronavirus, it will be repeated three days later.

"There are patients whose tests were first negative, but then turned out to be positive. Everyone needs to isolate themselves, even there are no symptoms," he said.

The minister was also asked whether Turkey will adopt a model between South Korea and Britain.

"We are developing our own model," he said.