Official from Health Ministry shares information about Turkey’s first corona patient
Prof. Dr. Ateş Kara, Coronavirus Science Board Member at the Ministry of Health explained some facts about the first case of coronavirus in Turkey. He said, ” Let’s be alert but let us not panic. The patient is someone who comes into contact with very few people and doesn’t go out much and we have a chance in that respect. He was caught early when he had a fever and a cough, and that’s why we caught a period where he had very little contact. Yes, we have a case in Turkey, but this case does not mean the virus circulating in Turkey”.
Prof. Dr. Kara made a statement about the first case of coronavirus seen in Turkey, coronavirus transmission routes and measures to be taken against the virus shared following.
He reminded that the person who was detected positive with the virus in Turkey is under quarantine and said, “We know that the person came from abroad. We know this person got the virus abroad. After arriving, we can say that there this person did not have much contact within Turkey. We have reached those contacts and we have now taken them under control, put them under isolation and will keep them in quarantine for up to 14 days”. Prof. Dr. Kara said that the person in question and his relatives were also under observation.
He went on to say, “Regarding the people on the plane or others, it is not quite right for me to say something about it frankly and perhaps the minister or the Ministry of Health can explain this”.
The professor went on to say, “When I say contact it should not mean when I stand next to you for 1-2 seconds or pass by you etc. These should not be considered contact. Being close to the person for less than 1 meter for about 10 minutes, or talking to each other or being in the same environment, in the same indoor area, in the same room for several hours these are main contacts. Standing in the same restaurant, at the same table might not be considered a risk, being in the same place at a distance of more than 1 meter, these should not be considered as a risk, obviously.”
