Turkey's response to coronavirus has been exemplary: Communications director

ANKARA-Anadolu Agency

Turkey has shown an "exemplary" stance during the novel coronavirus outbreak, that claimed the lives of thousands around the globe, the country's communication director said on April 27.

"Turkey’s response to the coronavirus crisis has simply been exemplary. Why? Our President [Recep Tayyip Erdoğan] has directed our government that we would act in the most humanitarian way possible regardless of the costs. Our citizens and those in need around the world can count on Turkey!" Fahrettin Altun said on Twitter.

Turkey so far delivered medical aid to at least 57 countries to step up their fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

Altun underlined that Turkey continues to help countries by delivering "critical medical supplies".

"Just as we brought back home our citizens from many countries, we left behind supplies as much as we could. We care not only about our citizens but all those affected around the world," he said.

The Turkish government has also repatriated around 60,000 of its nationals from foreign countries since the start of the pandemic.

Altun stressed that his country was also able to bring back around 25,000 Turkish citizens who wanted to be in their homeland during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which started on April 24 in Turkey.

"Their trust in our healthcare system is a point of pride for us. President Erdogan has pushed for continuous investments in our healthcare for years."

He also said that under the direction of the country's president, none of the Turkish citizens will be "abandoned" anywhere around the world.

"The latest example of this was the case of Mr. [Emrullah] Gülüşken. We were able to bring him back in an ambulatory jet upon his daughter’s appeal on social media," Altun said.

Turkey evacuated its citizens from Sweden who contracted the novel coronavirus but was not given treatment.

In 2018, a total of 84 Turkish citizens who fell ill were brought to the country from abroad by the ambulance jet, while another 76 nationals used the jet in 2019.

Altun also hailed the drop in the number of coronavirus infected persons in the country, as Turkey on April 26 recorded the lowest number of new cases in the past 20 days.

"We are in receipt of some great news a few days into the holy month of Ramadan. Today, we saw the lowest number of new infections in the last 20 days. We are seeing a plateauing and downward trajectory of the curve. Ramadan has already started blessing us!"