Turkish family evacuated from Egypt for virus treatment

By Mesut Karaduman and Suleyman Coskun Bozyel

TEKIRDAG, Turkey (AA) - Turkey on Tuesday evacuated an expatriate family, with one of the members infected by the coronavirus, from Egypt after their call for help on social media.

A Turkish air ambulance, carrying the couple and their three children, left Cairo International Airport and arrived at the Corlu Ataturk Airport in northwestern Turkey.

Kader Bicer, the mother contracting the coronavirus, her husband Veli Bicer, who has the symptoms of the disease, and their children Ensar, Ebrar, and Erva were referred to a local hospital after their arrival.

Hasan Bicer, Veli's brother, told reporters that they are very happy that the Bicer family is back at home.

Brother Bicer said the family was not treated in Egypt. "My brother and his wife just stayed at home without any medication and treatment. So, we had to apply for them to return home."

He thanked President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other officials who made it possible for the family to come back to Turkey.

Turkish authorities took action to bring the Bicer family to Turkey after their children called for help in a video shared on Youtube.

Since first appearing in China last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 188 countries and regions.

The pandemic has killed over 377,400 people worldwide, with more than 6.32 million confirmed cases, while recoveries surpassed 2.72 million, according to figures compiled by the US' Johns Hopkins University.