Turkey to suspend flights from China until end of month

By Mehmet Tosun

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's health minister said Monday that as of Feb. 5, all flights from China will be suspended until the end of the month.

Turkey will begin scanning passengers traveling from Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia through thermal cameras at airports, Fahrettin Koca said.

Koca added that none of 61 people tested positive for coronavirus at Zekai Tahir Burak Hospital in the Turkish capital Ankara, where, a total of 32 Turks, and 10 foreign nationals, evacuated from China, had also been quarantined on Feb. 1.

The coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has so far claimed 362 lives since its outbreak last December. Over 17,200 others have been infected by the epidemic believed to have been transmitted to humans from animals, particularly bats.

Besides China, the virus has spread to more than 24 countries, including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, the U.S., Singapore, France, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, India, Nepal, and Canada.

Travelers from China are being screened at airports worldwide and several airlines have suspended flights to Wuhan.

Japan, South Korea, U.S., Australia, Pakistan, India, France, Germany, Indonesia, and Turkey evacuated their citizens from Wuhan, the epicenter of the deadly virus.

* Writing by Burak Bir