ISTANBUL (Reuters) — No Turkish hospitals are operating at capacity because of the coronavirus pandemic, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Thursday, after Reuters quoted doctors as saying some dedicated intensive care units (ICU) were full.
“There are no cities, not even a single hospital, working at capacity due to COVID-19. Claims are unfounded,” Koca said on Twitter.
Doctors in coronavirus hotspots, including Ankara and the southeastern city of Gaziantep, told Reuters that hospitals are logging more cases than are reflected in the official nationwide count, with some ICUs and emergency rooms at capacity.
Official figures indicate the virus has killed 5,784 people and infected 236,112 in Turkey, with 93 percent having recovered. The Health Ministry reported 1,178 new cases on Wednesday.
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Writing by Ezgi Erkoyun; Editing by Jonathan Spicer and Timothy Heritage
Image: Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca speaks during a news conference in Ankara, Turkey, January 24, 2020. (REUTERS/Cagla Durak)
