No Coronavirus Detected in 42 People Evacuated from China, Says Health Minister

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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The 14-day quarantine of 42 people evacuated from the Chinese city of Wuhan, where coronavirus epidemic broke out, ended today (February 14).

No coronavirus has been detected in any of the 42 people.

Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca has addressed the reporters regarding the issue. Koca has stated that these 42 people can go on with their lives as normal and no further follow-up is necessary.

Minister Koca has also indicated that coronavirus test kits will be exported in accordance with the demands.

Some highlights from his speech are as follows:

'Foreign citizens will stay for another day'

"No disease symptoms were detected in this 14-day period. No symptoms were detected in medical examinations undertaken once in three days since the first day. We can say it with relief that the results of the tests conducted today have turned out to be negative, which means no coronavirus has been detected. There were 42 passengers. I met all of our citizens in person. There were also five children among them.

"There are 61 people inside, including healthcare personnel. 42 people have been discharged from hospital as of today. As for the foreign citizens, they will stay for another day and will go back to their countries tomorrow."

Coronavirus test kits to be exported

Minister Koca has also said that the diagnostic kit developed by Turkey to identify coronavirus cases will be sold abroad. "A country ordered 10,000 kits from us, and similarly four other countries demanded the kits," he indicated and added that the kits are developed in line with the WHO data.

Underlining the importance of early diagnosis and therapy for treatment, Minister Koca has said that the virus is detected in three hours by the kits developed by the Germany- and France-based companies while it can be detected in between 90-120 minutes by Turkey's kit.

They were evacuated from China

The Turkish Armed Forces' A400M type cargo plane departed from Wuhan, China on February 1 with the evacuees including citizens of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Albania and Georgia, after health staff confirmed they did not carry any symptoms related to the fatal outbreak.

CLICK - No Signs of Coronavirus Found in 42 Evacuees from Wuhan

Speaking to press members in the capital Ankara, Fahrettin Koca reiterated that there were no signs of the coronavirus among the evacuees.

42 passengers and crew members were quarantined at Ankara Dr. Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Training and Research Hospital for 14 days. (TP/SD)