Covid-19: What is Happening in Turkey's Eastern and Southeastern Regions?

Students in Van city stage a demonstration to raise awareness about the pandemic. (Photo: AA)

Click to read the article in Turkish

While the western parts of Turkey, especially İstanbul, have been the hardest-hit regions by the new coronavirus pandemic, doctors from the east and the southeast have warned that the outbreak is still continuing in those parts of the country as well, although the number of cases is smaller.

Chairs of medical chambers in Van, Diyarbakır, Urfa, Elazığ, Bingöl and Dersim have spoken to bianet about the progress of the coronavirus outbreak in their provinces.

Accordingly, there has been a decrease in new cases in Diyarbakır and Urfa but people might have become too comfortable after authorities' statements about the "normalization."

In Van, 140 cases have been found in 10 days, which is higher than two weeks ago.

In Elazığ, Dersim and Bingöl, doctors' requests for actual numbers regarding the pandemic have not received a response from authorities.

"There are around 100 patients in Diyarbakır"

Diyarbakır Medical Association Chair Mehmet Şerif Demir said, "We don't have certain data because the process has not been transparent since the beginning of the pandemic, epidemiological data has not been shared, studies of scientists have been blocked, and we are not in the Provincial Pandemic and Science Board."

"However, according to the data we have received from physicians and health workers from the field; we know that the number of cases has decreased in Diyarbakır in the last two weeks. The number of patients admitted to the hospital with suspicion of Covid-19 and the number of patients in the hospital have decreased.

"But there is no evidence that the outbreak is over. Currently, nearly 100 patients are being treated in hospitals in Diyarbakır, including 20 in intensive care units.

"According to the information we have reached; 97 healthcare workers have been infected with Covid-19 disease in Diyarbakır so far, and two of our fellow health workers have died."

"People don't use masks"

"Especially after the normalization steps and statements that fail to express the severity of the situation, caused people to be languorous and everybody began to go out. After the statements, we have seen the crowds, social distancing rule is not abided by and masks are used.

"While all kinds of activities and places where people can gather together are banned and restricted, the opening of shopping malls due to economic concerns is wrong and it is a too early decision.

"The risk is not eliminated and the outbreak continues. In all 81 provinces, the decision to impose curfews during the feast means that the outbreak continues.

"Normalization steps should be taken with an approach prioritizing public health and according to realistic and scientific data. Epidemiological data of each province should be extracted, shared transparently, the number of cases should be evaluated and plans should be made accordingly.

"Tests should not decrease. In a planned screening process, the number of tests should increase. Tracing should be done effectively and actively. Screening and case follow-up among the people should be expanded and contamination should be prevented."

Cases have nearly doubled in Van

Van Medical Chamber Chair Özgür Deniz Değer: "We have been able to find that four fellow physicians and five health workers have been infected so far. None of them lost their lives. But the information is kept like a secret. Chief physicians, provincial health directors do not provide information. As we learned from the statement made by the Governor's Office, the number of cases was 230 two weeks ago but it has increased to 448 right now."

"There has been an incredible increase in two weeks. In 10 days, 140 people tested positive. Statements about relaxation have brought people together. Condolence visits, fast-breaking meals have increased the number of cases. Recently, the applications to hospitals, especially to family physicians, have increased. The majority of people thought that hospitals are risky and go to family physicians. This increases the risk there.

"After the statements about relaxation, people have started to take to the streets and no attention is paid to any rule. For this reason, the Provincial Public Health Council decided that masks should be worn outside.

"Two or four-day curfews won't help much in terms of controlling the outbreak. It is not possible to see what's ahead without a curfew for at least two weeks."

The number of patients has decreased in Urfa

Urfa Medical Association Chair Ömer Melik: "There was a serious decrease in the number of patients in Urfa. But we know that the number of carriers is quite high. They don't show any symptoms. However, when one patient is found in a family, all the family members test positive.

"Because Urfa is an agricultural region, people had to return to their normal lives. With the statements of normalization, mask use is not paid attention to anymore. For normalization, we have to make progress in the outbreak. The number of cases is not [low] enough to make statements of normalization.

"Too early steps can make the outbreak climb again. Therefore, we have to act cautiously. Steps need to be taken more carefully, considering that Urfa is an agricultural region and the province from where seasonal workers are distributed to Turkey.

Dersim has zero patients

Elazığ-Tunceli(Dersim)-Bingöl Medical Chamber Chair Eser Ataş: "We cannot obtain reliable information. We wrote to the Provincial Health directorate but did not get a response. According to information we received from our colleagues working at hospitals, there are currently four patients who are hospitalized in Elazığ. There are no intensive care patients.

"There are no patients in Tunceli. In the initial period, there were eight patients. But their treatments are completed. We have learned that there are no patients right now. The reason for this is the entrance-exit ban the governor's office imposed initially and the strict measures. We haven't received any information about Bingöl, we don't know what the situation is." (RT/VK)