Turkey confirms second coronavirus case

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

Turkey's health minister announced on March 13 another case of the coronavirus (COVID-19), only the second case seen in the country.

“He is from the immediate circle of our first patient, who was followed up as soon as the diagnosis was made,” Fahrettin Koca said on Twitter.

“We have taken the necessary measures to keep the possible spread of the virus within these limits. We will overcome this problem together,” he added.

Turkey's first case was announced earlier this week, a man who had recently returned from Europe. The patient was completely isolated, along with monitoring of his family and those who came into contact with him.

After emerging in Wuhan, China last December, the novel coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, has spread to at least 114 countries.

The global death toll is now over 4,600, with more than 125,000 confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which has declared the outbreak a pandemic.