No Turkish citizens among S.Korea coronavirus patients

By Mehmet Sah Yilmaz

ANKARA (AA) – No Turkish citizen has been diagnosed with coronavirus in South Korea, Turkey’s ambassador in Seoul said on Friday.

South Korea has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases after China.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the figure rose to 2,337 on Friday, according to the Yonhap News Agency.

“There are currently about 1,100 Turkish citizens in South Korea. Fortunately, not a single one has tested positive for the virus,” Ersin Ercin told Anadolu Agency.

He said the Turkish Embassy in Seoul is closely monitoring the situation and has informed people of preventive measures.

“We have advised our citizens to avoid crowded places and always wear protective masks. They have been told to consult a doctor if they develop any symptom of the disease,” he said.

“We have asked them to immediately inform the embassy if they test positive for the disease,” the ambassador said.

Ercin said South Korea is making great efforts to control the spread of the virus.

“Land, sea, and rail transport is working uninterrupted across the country. The number of passengers has fallen, but many companies, including Turkish Airlines, are continuing daily flights to South Korea,” he said.

South Korea is among over 45 countries which account for the nearly 83,000 COVID-19 cases confirmed around the world.

The global death toll is over 2,800, and China, where the outbreak originated, is the worst hit, with more than 78,000 cases and over 2,700 fatalities.

The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak an international health emergency and said the global risk level remains high.

* Writing by Gozde Bayar