Over 600 health workers contracted COVID-19

ISTANBUL

In this March 16, 2020, photo, a doctor watches a coronavirus patient under treatment in the intensive care unit of the Brescia hospital, Italy. (AP Photo)

More than 600 health workers, who are battling on the frontline against the coronavirus pandemic, have test positive for the coronavirus, Milliyet newspaper has reported.

The number of infected among health professionals is feared to go higher once the tests results of health workers who had shown the symptoms of the virus are released.

In Istanbul alone, more than 100 doctors working at private hospitals have contracted the virus, while the total number of infected health workers is above 200, according to the Istanbul Medical Chamber.

“Some of our colleagues, who happened to test negative first because of either faulty sample collection or some other reasons, are still keep working. Regular tests should be run on health workers no matter if they show symptoms or not,” said Emrah Kırımlı from the Istanbul Medical Chamber.

At least 27 health workers have test positive in the capital Ankara, according to Filiz Ünal of the Turkish Medical Association.

“We know that our 10 colleagues are waiting for their test results,” she added.

Around 100 health workers in İzmir, which reports one of the largest number of cases in Turkey, have either tested positive or have been in self-isolation because of contamination suspicions, said Nuri Seha Yüksel from the İzmir Medical Chamber.

“Our colleagues, who are in constant contact with patients, return to work following a brief rest at home. İzmir is the second riskiest province in the country after Istanbul. Some precautions, unfortunately, were taken a little late and the public grasped the importance of the problem a little late. Medical equipment keep coming in, but there are worries that if their supplies are interrupted in the near future they will negatively impact health workers’ performance,” he added.