Turkey Confirms 2nd Coronavirus Case

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca has announced that one more person has been diagnosed with Covid-19, the new strain of coronavirus, in Turkey.

Sharing a message on his Twitter account in the morning today (March 13), Minister Koca has said, "The test results obtained last evening have confirmed a sad forecast. We have another patient. He is from the immediate circle of our first patient, who was followed up as soon as the diagnosis was made. We have taken necessary measures to keep the possible spread of the virus within these limits. We will overcome this problem together."

First case confirmed on March 11

Turkey confirmed its first case of coronavirus on March 11, 2020. Holding a press conference at around 12.50 a.m., Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca confirmed Turkey's first case of the novel coronavirus, stressing that all precautionary measures were being taken.

"A male citizen tested positive for the coronavirus in the evening," Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said at the press conference in the capital city of Ankara, without sharing any further information about his age, identity or where the virus was diagnosed for reasons of patient's privacy.

Indicating that the person had been diagnosed with the virus after the causes of his high body temperature and cough were inquired, Koca said, "The infected individual contracted the virus after returning from Europe. He has been completely isolated."

"The patient's general condition is good. All of his family members and those who came into contact with him are under surveillance," Koca added.

"An early diagnosis [of the patient] was made. If there is a virus infection in the country, it is very limited. One or more cases of the coronavirus should not be considered an epidemic," he noted. (DB/SD)