Health Minister: 'China Virus' Poses No Threats to Turkey For Now

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The coronavirus originating in Wuhan, China is not of any particular risk to Turkey for now, according to Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca.

"I can say that there is no increase in the number of flu cases compared to last year, that there is no new agent, and that there is no risk," he told the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA).

Authorities will quarantine infected patients from China should they arrive in Turkey, Koca said, adding that the Ministry of Health will hold a risk assessment meeting on the virus later today (January 22).

The virus which causes pneumonia-like symptoms has jostled health authorities in China and other regions amid fears of a possible outbreak.

Beyond China, the virus has affected people in Taiwan, Japan and South Korea.

Health officials in China said nine fatalities were recorded in the central Wuhan city where the fatal virus originated last month, Chinese daily ECNS reported. They added that 440 people were confirmed infected inside the country.

With the coronavirus raising alarm across the globe, the World Health Organization (WHO) will hold an emergency meeting in Geneva today.

China's health officials have already confirmed the human-to-human transmission of the fatal virus. (RT/VK)