Istanbul Medical Chamber warns against easing coronavirus measures prematurely

Duvar English

Istanbul Medical Chamber has warned against easing the measures imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic prematurely, saying that the cost of a wrong decision would be heavy.

In its seventh report prepared during the pandemic, which encompasses the period between April 27 and May 3, with information collected from health workers in the city, the chamber said the threat posed by the virus is still ongoing even though there is a decrease in the number of cases.

"Even though there's a decrease in the number of coronavirus patients in the eighth week of the pandemic, the severity of the threat in Istanbul is ongoing. We remind the authorities to evaluate the decision to ease the precautions within this scope and that a wrong decision adopted prematurely would have heavy costs," the chamber said.

Turkish authorities began discussing a gradual normalization possibly to be implemented after Eid al-Fitr, which ends on May 26, following a decrease in the number of cases and the death toll in the country.

According to the chamber, the streets were more crowded following a four-day curfew imposed between April 23 and 27.

The chamber also said that the number of medical workers infected with the virus in Istanbul is above 4,500.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said last week that the number of healthcare professionals tested positive for coronavirus was 7.428 across Turkey.

The chamber criticized the field hospital construction at Istanbul's Atatürk Airport for its qualities and future being unknown.

"Even though the outbreak was announced to be waning, the construction continues at full speed," it said.