Turkish, Chinese experts exchange views on COVID-19 struggle in videoconference

ANKARA

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Turkish and Chinese experts have exchanged views and experiences over the continued fight against the novel coronavirus as the death toll in Turkey has surged to 75 with more than 3,600 cases as of March 26.

A three-hour-long videoconference has brought the members of the Turkish Science Board of the Health Ministry with the Chinese authorities who have conducted the first struggle against the coronavirus as the pandemic was first seen in Wuhan city of China.

According to a statement by the Health Ministry, the Science Board for coronavirus and Chinese officials and scientists exchanged knowledge and experience about the virus during the meeting. The question-and-answer session followed China’s presentation on the coronavirus.

The parties addressed topics such as the course of the disease, known features, effects in age groups, specific symptoms of disease, diagnostic methods, treatment protocols, vaccination studies and conditions of healing patients.

The Chinese experts have proposed a four-article list of recommendations to their Turkish colleagues, according to daily Hürriyet. Given the fact that the novel coronavirus is much more contagious than any other virus, Chinese authorities underlined the need for isolation as the first and foremost precaution against the spread of the disease.

A strict quarantine for those infected and those coming from abroad are important measures, the Chinese part stressed, while adding that utmost importance should be given to the protection of the health personnel dealing with infected patients.

Nationwide alert

In the meantime, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca held a videoconference with the health directors of 81 provinces in Turkey on the nation’s struggle against the pandemic.

“We held a videoconference with our 81 provincial health directors. We have evaluated the risks and our methods. We are on full alert against the coronavirus threat,” Koca said in a statement on March 27.

Turkey’s death toll from the coronavirus increased by 16 to 75 on March 26, as the number of confirmed cases rose by 1,196 to 3,629, Koca said late March 26.

He said on Twitter that 7,286 tests had been conducted in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of tests carried out in Turkey to around 40,000.

Deputy Foreign Minister Yavuz Selim Kıran said on March 27 that up until now, 50 Turkish citizens lost their lives due to COVID-19 in eight countries.