* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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Pulmonologist Prof. Tevfik Özlü, who is also a member of the Health Ministry's Coronavirus Science Board, has spoken to the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) regarding the course of the pandemic in Turkey.

Prof. Özlü has underlined that the number of cases has been on the increase not only in İstanbul, but generally all across the country. "Bad days have not been behind us, it might get worse," he has said, adding that "when the course of the pandemic is concerned, there is no standstill."

"In other words, it has been increasing since the beginning. Thus, we have not stopped or slowed down the outbreak yet. The outbreak is still ongoing, infecting, making sick and killing people," the physician has added.

'It is not only in İstanbul'

Tevfik Özlü has reiterated that the increase in the number of cases is not limited to İstanbul. "Why is it on the increase? Let me tell you," he has said and answered his question briefly as follows:

"Because the summer is over; people were spending more isolated time in the open, on vacation, in summer houses, by the seaside, in nature... This virus is contracted less in open air.

"Now, they have come back and started spending time in closed spaces. People come together in offices, workplaces, factories, closed spaces and public transportation. The virus is contracted more in closed spaces and poorly ventilated areas. The first factor is, I think, this."

'Everyone is at risk'

Referring to the daily coronavirus table of the Ministry of Health, Özlü has reminded that "over 70 people lose their lives due to the virus every day."

He has noted that "one should not think that it is the others who lose their lives as the deceased are the people that we know, they are our acquaintances." Accordingly, Tevfik Özlü has warned that "everyone is at risk," urging people once again to be "much more careful, to observe the measures and to avoid crowded places as much as possible."

"We must also keep our distance from people. If we pay heed to these measures, we can be protected by almost 100 percent," he has added.

Reiterating that "coming together with friends and relatives as we used to is dangerous now," Özlü has said, "You cannot know if one of your friends or relatives that you eat together and have a chat with has COVID-19 or not. You also cannot know whether you have it or not."

He has also warned that "one of the breaking points in that regard is public transportation as it is impossible to keep social distance."

Underlining that as it is no longer possible to keep one's distance there, masks remain as the only measure to take. "If one person is without a mask in a public transportation vehicle, he or she is a threat," Özlü has said and underlined the importance of letting fresh air into the vehicles. (RT/SD)