Turkish health minister on Wednesday announced the first case of the novel coronavirus in Turkey. A male citizen was tested positive for the coronavirus on Tuesday evening, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca told reporters. The patient had returned from Europe, contracted the virus there and suffered high fever and coughing, said the minister, noting that the patient was completely isolated.
"The patient's general condition is good. All of his family members and those who was in contact with him are under surveillance," the minister stated. The minister warned the Turkish citizens not to go abroad unless it is compulsory and to stay at home for 14 days if returned from abroad. Turkey in last month closed its border with Iran, stopped all passenger flights with Iran, Italy, South Korea and Iraq and started screening passengers arriving from abroad.