Severe COVID-19 cases, new infections decline, says Turkish health minister

ANKARA

Turkey saw a decline in the number of COVID-19 patients in critical condition and patients with pneumonia, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has said.

“There is no doubt that the measures taken [against the coronavirus] are working,” Koca wrote on Twitter.

The number of patients in critical condition has declined for the first time after so long while the number of patients with pneumonia also continues to drop, he added.

“The number of patients also tend to decline,” Koca noted.

Electronic bracelets will be used to monitor the movements of people with the coronavirus and to check if they are abiding by quarantine rules.

The other option under consideration is the use of a device called “box,” which will be installed in patients’ homes. When the person steps outside the restricted area, the device will alarm the individual. If the person ignores the warning and leaves home, the authorities will get immediately informed about the violation.

The government is yet to decide which system should be put in use to monitor people with COVID-19.

One such system, “Hayat Eve Sığar” (HES), which means “Life Fits into Home,” spearheaded by the Health Ministry that tracks the contraction of the COVID-19 virus, can be used for monitoring in the coming times.

Speaking about the application, Professor İlyas Dökmentaş from the Health Sciences University told daily Hürriyet, “Will the bracelets become active when HES fails? We do not know the details… but I reckon that this will be a very costly project.”

“People should act more responsibly. The public should be more informed about the risks of the virus. Otherwise, the idea of putting bracelets on every single person in the county looks rather unrealistic and impossible to do,” he added.

Istanbul, the country’s largest city by population, has joined Ankara, İzmir and Diyarbakır in changing work hours for public sector employees in a bid to reduce crowding in the public transport system.

Under the new arrangement, which began on Sept. 28, municipality employees will work from 8.00 a.m to 4:30 p.m, while for health workers, their daily shift will be between 8:30 a.m and 4:30 p.m. In all other public offices, employees will work from 9 a.m to 4:30 p.m.