Turkey evacuates nearly 1,750 expats from Europe

By Buket Guven and Sercan Kucuksahin

ANKARA/KAYSERI, Turkey (AA) - Turkey on Tuesday evacuated 1,748 citizens from Europe amid the coronavirus pandemic.

At the instruction of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and in coordination with the Foreign Ministry, Turkey decided to bring back nearly 25,000 citizens before the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

A specially arranged Turkish Airlines flight left London and arrived in Istanbul in the evening.

Following health checks, 349 citizens were sent to the northwestern Kocaeli province to be quarantined in a student dormitory.

Meanwhile, Turkey also brought home some 750 Turkish citizens from Germany.

After a flight arrived in central Kayseri province, 232 citizens were transferred to Nigde -- another central province -- to be quarantined in a student dormitory.

Another 285 expats were brought back to the capital Ankara and sent a student dormitory in the central province of Yozgat for quarantine.

Others also arrived in the central province of Sivas and placed under quarantine, following medical checkup at the airport.

As part of the same measures, the country also brought back 107 Turkish students from the Czechia. A Turkish Airlines flight carrying them arrived in Ankara.

Students were transferred to northern Karabuk province for quarantine.

Moreover, 89 Turkish citizens in Romania were brought to the capital Ankara. After health checks, they were sent to the northwestern Duzce province for quarantine.

Also, 125 expats were brought back to the eastern Bingol province from Hungary and sent to a student dormitory for quarantine. Citizens thanked President Erdogan, Vice President Fuat Oktay and Foreign Ministry staff for this opportunity.

Some 328 Turkish citizens from Belgium also arrived in northeastern Trabzon province.

Following medical checkup at the airport, 78 expats were placed under quarantine in a student dormitory in Trabzon and others were sent to Gumushane province for quarantine.

On Tuesday, Turkey confirmed 119 more deaths from the coronavirus, bringing the death toll to 2,259.

Since appearing in China last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 185 countries and regions.

Data compiled by the U.S.’ Johns Hopkins University shows worldwide infections have passed 2.54 million, with the death toll over 175,400, while nearly 670,000 people have recovered.