Policeman treated for COVID-19 lauds Turkish healthcare

By Cihan Okur

AMASYA, Turkey (AA) – A Turkish police officer who recovered from the novel coronavirus after 14 days of treatment praised Turkey’s health system Thursday.

Mustafa Cankara, 47, who works at a hospital in Amasya province, spoke about his experience to Anadolu Agency.

Cankara first consulted a doctor at the hospital after developing a high fever, chills and tremors.

He was diagnosed with COVID-19, but the results for his wife and three children were negative.

He recovered after two weeks of treatment and was discharged from the hospital amid applause from healthcare workers.

He suspected that he may have caught the virus at the hospital where he is working.

“The disease’s effects sometimes worsened, but I would like to express my thanks to the healthcare workers. All of the doctors and nurses did their best. May Allah bless them,” he said.

Cankara warned everyone, especially young people, who underestimate the disease.

“I was thinking that I am a healthy person, I don’t have any chronic diseases. I wasn’t aware of the seriousness of this disease until I contracted it. Everyone should obey the rules. Isolation is very important. Less contact will help us defeat this virus,” he added.

-Power of Turkish health system

He said an early diagnosis is very important.

“My quarantine will continue at home for 14 days. After this period, if there is no problem, I will return to my normal life and will be able to work. While I was being treated in the hospital, I had the chance to watch TV a lot and I observed that many other countries’ health systems are suffering. Thank Allah that we have a strong health system. I saw it in the hospital.”

Turkey currently has 120,204 coronavirus cases, while the death toll in the country stands at 3,174 and a total of 48,886 patients have been discharged from hospitals after recovering from the virus.

Since first appearing in Wuhan, China last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 185 countries and regions, with the US and Europe the hardest-hit areas.

More than 3.2 million cases have been reported worldwide, with the death toll passing 232,000 and over 1 million recoveries, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University in the US.