Turkish Health Minister warns against spike in COVID-19 patients in intensive care

Turkey's Health Minister Fahrettin Koca warned against a rising number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care on July 5. The number of patients in intensive care spiked by 34 on July 5, reaching 1,127.

Duvar English

Turkey's Health Minister Fahrettin Koca warned citizens against a rising number of COVID-19 patients who need intensive care despite a slow decrease in the number of new daily diagnoses on July 5.

The number of new diagnoses on July 5 was six fewer than the day before at 1,148, and the minister noted that the new cases were rising fastest in Istanbul, Ankara, Gaziantep, Mardin, Konya, Bursa and Diyarbakır.

Meanwhile, the number of intensive care patients spiked to 1,127 on July 5 from 1,093 the day before.

"The number of our intensive care patients is on the rise following new cases. 'The number of daily deaths' isn't something to get used to WHEN WE CAN TAKE PRECAUTIONS."

The minister also urged citizens to take precautions on July 6 with a tweet that read "IF WE LIVE TODAY LIKE THERE'S NO PANDEMIC, tomorrow, we'll consider a day with 19 deaths and 1,127 intensive care patients a good one."

In a second tweet, the minister asked if everyone who received his message was wearing masks and trying to adhere to safe distancing.

"HOW MANY OF US OUT THERE AGAINST THE PANDEMIC?" the minister tweeted.

The number of new COVID-19 diagnoses daily has been on the rise since the country started its normalization process on June 1, reopening businesses, resuming public transportation operations and lifting curfews.

Number of daily COVID-19 diagnoses surges around TurkeyNumber of daily COVID-19 diagnoses surges around Turkey