Turkish president's nephew dies from COVID-19

By Merve Aydogan

ANKARA (AA) - Ahmet Erdogan, the nephew of Turkey's president, died late Sunday from the novel coronavirus. He was 73.

Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin on Twitter expressed his condolences to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, saying: "I wish Allah's mercy on Ahmet Erdogan, who passed away at a hospital where he was being treated for coronavirus. I wish forbearance to our President and all of his relatives."

Parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentop also expressed his condolences on Twitter, saying: "I heard that Ahmet Erdogan, the son of our President's late brother Hasan Erdogan, passed away at a hospital while being treated."

Sentop also extended condolences to President Erdogan and his entire family.

Hasan Erdogan, the president's half-brother and the father of Ahmet Erdogan, was born a quarter-century before the president, and died in 2006.

Turkey on Sunday reported 20,316 more coronavirus infections, including 3,546 symptomatic patients. As many as 21,218 people also recovered over the past day, bringing the tally to 1.8 million, while the death toll climbed to 18,097 with 246 additions.

The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed over 1.69 million lives in 191 countries and regions since last December.

Over 76 million cases have been reported worldwide, with more than 43.1 million recoveries, according to figures compiled by the US' Johns Hopkins University.