Two New Cases of Swine Flu in Turkey

In a written statement the Ministry of Health said that two citizens of Turkey travelling to Turkey on 29 May were diagnosed as carrying the A/H1N1 virus.

One of the citizens had come from New York to Istanbul and then travelled on to Izmir, while the second had come Istanbul from Houston, via Amsterdam.

"According to the rules of the World Health Organisation, samples will be sent to the International Reference Laboratory. The patients, whose condition is generally good, have been quarantined and are being monitored. Relatives of the patients and passengers on the same flight as them are being monitored, too."

The Ministry called on passengers of the following flights to call 112 and inform health officials of their status:

* 28 May, New York 4.30 pm to Istanbul (landing 29 May): Turkish Airlines TK 002

* 29 May, Istanbul 1.00 pm to Izmir: Turkish Airlines TK 324

* 29 May Amsterdam 9.50 am to Istanbul: KLM Airlines KL 1613

Turkish Airlines has announced that it has disinfected the relevant airplanes, both with a regular disinfectant routine and a special application. In addition, cockpit and cabin crew of the flights have begun preventative treatment are being monitored. They will not fly during the standard monitoring period. (EZÖ/AG)