Turkey reports its first 2 deaths from coronavirus amid a surge in incidence. President Erdogan said such outbreaks have had serious implications around the world and could provoke "transformations." The Turkish President said on Wednesday that the government has mobilized all resources and intends to eliminate the threat as soon as possible. He announced a $ 15.4 billion fiscal package to help protect the economy from the effects of the epidemic.
Coronavirus in Turkey
“The responsibility lies with every citizen of our country,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at his first press conference on the COVID-19 outbreak. “I sincerely believe that with God's help and the support of our people, we will come out of this difficult period.”
He said the government will distribute protective masks and antiseptic, which has natural disinfecting properties, to citizens over 65 in Istanbul and Ankara.
Erdogan added that Turkey is making accelerated efforts to develop a vaccine.
“These outbreaks have had serious implications around the world and have even triggered major political, social and economic transformations,” he said. “We are entering a new era in which we are likely to see radical changes in the global economic, political and social order.”
The course of the epidemic
Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Wednesday that a 61-year-old male patient had passed away. He announced late Tuesday that the 89-year-old also died after contracting the virus from someone who had “contact with China,” where the new coronavirus was first detected late last year.
Koca added that throughout Wednesday, Turkey diagnosed 93 more cases of the disease. “The vast majority of those who test positive will recover,” he said.
The Turkish vice president said more than 2,800 Turkish citizens were brought home at their request from nine European countries, of which Ankara has banned entry to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Fuat Oktay said on Twitter that the evacuation was completed at 6 a.m. local time, adding that 2,807 citizens will be quarantined for 14 days in large hostels located in Istanbul and Kocaeli provinces.
Turkey last week closed its border gates to passengers from Germany, Spain, France, Austria, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Curfew and state of emergency
Meanwhile, the head of Turkey's communications department on Tuesday denied rumors that Ankara would impose a state of emergency or curfew, as well as travel restrictions due to the coronavirus.
“Such comprehensive restrictive measures are not on our agenda,” Fahrettin Altun told Anadolu State Agency.
Amid growing coronavirus concerns in the country, the Turkish lira weakened 0.8 percent against the US dollar on Wednesday, after hitting its weakest point since September 2021 the day before.
By 07:00, the lira was at 6.45 against the dollar, weakening since Tuesday's close at 6.3985, which was below its weakest level of the day at 6.4945. The lira has lost about 7 percent of its value against the dollar this year.
Turkish benchmark Borsa Istanbul's BIST 100 stock index fell 2.31 percent, or 2.001.17 points, on Wednesday, at the beginning of the day to 84,776.51 points.
