Turkey isolates all travelers from the UK regardless of COVID-19 test results

Duvar English

Turkey is putting all incoming travelers from the UK in isolation, regardless of whether they test positive or negative for COVID-19, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Dec. 22.

Some 335 passengers were transported back to Turkey on evacuation flights on Dec. 20, Koca noted, adding that they were given Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests.

"We are taking samples day 1 and day 7 PCR samples from the patients. All passengers were placed into isolation, even if they tested negative," Koca said.

The Health Ministry reportedly tracked down some 4,603 passengers who traveled to Turkey from the UK since Dec. 14 in order to put them in isolation at their place of residence and to test them.

Turkey suspended flights from the UK, the Netherlands, Denmark, and South Africa on Dec. 20 as a precaution against a new mutation of the coronavirus that spreads significantly faster, as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said. 

Ankara stops flights to four countries, including Britain, over coronavirus mutationCoronavirus