Turkey has confirmed its first novel coronavirus-relateddeath as the number of cases in the country rose to 98.
“Today, I lost my first patient in our fight againstcoronavirus,” Health Minister Fahrettin Koca told a televised pressconference on Tuesday, adding that the victim was an 89-year-old man whocontracted the virus from an employee with connections to China.
The minister also said the number of cases had risen from 47to 98.
“The big majority of those who tested positive arerecovering,” Koca said.
Turkey has announced a series of preventive measures in aneffort to contain the spread of the coronavirus, including travel restrictionson 20 countries and the closure of schools and universities.
Authorities on Monday suspended collective mosque prayersuntil further notice and ordered the closure of public spaces, includingcinemas.