Turkey to Suspend Flights from China Until the End of February

* Photo: Aytuğ Can Sencar - Ankara / AA

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Holding a press statement at the Bilkent Campus of the Ministry of Health yesterday (February 3), Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca has indicated that there are no cases of coronavirus in Turkey.

"Travelers coming from Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Malaysia will be scanned through thermal cameras", the Minister has said and added that all flights from China will be suspended until the end of February starting from tomorrow (February 5).

The coronavirus has so far claimed 362 lives since its outbreak last December and over 17,200 others have been infected by the epidemic.

Minister Koca briefly stated the following about the issue:

"There are no cases of Coronavirus in our country. We are taking great care to implement the recommendations offered by the science council to prevent the entry of the virus into the country.

"The science council has indicated that it would be right to scan travelers coming from Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Malaysia through thermal cameras. We, as the Ministry, will implement this [recommendation] starting from tomorrow.

"We have decided to suspend all flights coming from China as of Wednesday until the end of February. We will evaluate whether to continue the flights or not at the end of the month." (EKN/SD)