Turkey’s confirmed coronavirus cases have risen to 82,329, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Saturday, overtaking neighbouring Iran for the first time to register the highest total in the Middle East.
This is an increase of 3,783 cases in the last 24 hours also pushed Turkey’s confirmed tally within a few hundred of China, where the novel coronavirus first emerged.
The Health Minister said 121 more people have died, taking the death toll to 1,890. A total of 1,822 people have recovered from coronavirus so far, and the number of tests carried out over the past 24 hours came to 40,520, the minister said.
Despite the rising coronavirus cases in Turkey, earlier this month a Turkish airforce A400M aeroplane landed in the UK delivering much-needed PPE equipment to the NHS. Following an agreement between the UK and Turkey. The shipment contained 250,000 items of PPE to be delivered to NHS medical staff across the UK.
A Turkish Air Force A400M has landed at @RAFBrizeNorton to deliver 250,000 items of PPE equipment for our @NHSuk. Thank you to Turkey, valued friend and ally, for such a vital contribution in the fight against #coronavirus 🇹🇷🇬🇧 #WeAreNATO #InThisTogether pic.twitter.com/Os9uzwOs9G
— Royal Air Force (@RoyalAirForce) April 11, 2020
The Interior Ministry also said it was extending restrictions on travel between 31 cities for a further 15 days starting at midnight on Saturday in a battle against Turkey’s coronavirus cases, which are rising steadily. However, the state broadcaster TRT insists Turkey has the highest capacity ratio of treating patients requiring intensive care among the countries with the most coronavirus cases.
https://twitter.com/AsYouNotWish/status/1250392320349888512
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