Health Minister Fahrettin Koca issued a statement about the coronavirus. He said the ministry will consult with the Ministry of National Education about whether schools should be closed in case of a possible outbreak. In addition, Minister Koca commented on the presidential directive advising public personnel to avoid international conferences and travel. He said an official proposal will clarify when and for what reasons staff might be required to travel abroad.
Minister Koca also addressed participation in scientific meetings: “We are considering suspending international conferences that include foreign participants and imposing limitations on national conferences.” He added that this matter will be discussed in detail with the Coronavirus Scientific Advisory Board.
Regarding diagnostic test kits that have been shipped abroad, Koca said, “There are currently orders for 300,000 kits.” While some of those orders have already been dispatched, he explained that the ministry does not intend to fulfill all export requests at once in order to retain sufficient supplies domestically. He reiterated that the question of school closures will be discussed with the Ministry of National Education.
Minister Koca reiterated earlier remarks that cases of the virus may be detected in Turkey, but that authorities are working to prevent its spread. He emphasized that the probability of an outbreak in Turkey is high, although no confirmed case had been identified at the time of his statement. He noted that even if tests performed now are negative, infections might appear hours or a day later, and stressed that his comments were not meant to alarm the public but to underline preparedness. He reminded citizens that many people travel abroad and that it is not possible to be certain who may have been exposed. While the challenge is global, he said, the response must be national: the virus can appear here, and we must take steps to stop it from spreading.
Breaking Statement from Minister of National Education Ziya Selçuk
Minister of National Education Ziya Selçuk also made an announcement about whether schools will be closed due to the coronavirus. He urged the public to rely only on official sources regarding the school calendar and requested that families and students avoid acting on unofficial statements. He emphasized that absences should not be recorded based on information from non-official channels and asked that people await formal guidance from the ministry before making decisions about school attendance.