Turkey reports fourth coronavirus death, total case number 359

2020-03-20 11:12:10


	NEWS CENTER - The number of cases has increased to 359, the Health Minister has announced.

	 

	Turkey's death toll from the novel coronavirus outbreak increased to four as 168 new cases were confirmed in 24 hours, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced late Thursday (March 19).

	 

	The total number of confirmed cases has increased to 359 with the latest update.

	 

	The deceased person was an 85-year-old woman, Koca said on Twitter.

	 

	The minister also noted that 1,981 tests were conducted in the past 24 hours. Earlier in the day, he stated that the total number of tests performed since the beginning of the outbreak was just over 10 thousand. He said they were about to introduce a "rapid diagnostic kit" and aim to perform 10 thousand tests per day.

	 

	Turkey confirmed its first Covid-19 case on March 11 and the first death on March 17. It has taken measures against the outbreak since then, including closing cafes and bars, cancelling mass events, and suspending flights with 20 countries.

	 

	The outbreak emerged in China's Wuhan city in December and has so far spread to more than 150 countries, infecting over 250 thousand people. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a pandemic.