Cemil Tascioglu: Turkish doctor claimed by COVID-19

ISTANBUL

Cemil Tascioglu, a Turkish doctor with decades of experience who died on Wednesday after contracting the novel coronavirus from a patient, was the first-ever doctor in the country to succumb to the virus.

Tascioglu was a professor of internal medicine at Istanbul University.

He is also the doctor who diagnosed the first patient with the disease, officially known as COVID-19. After being infected, he was admitted to Istanbul University’s Medical School on March 16 with symptoms of fever, cough, and respiratory distress.

Born in Turkey’s Black Sea Rize province in 1952, Tascioglu was beloved among both his students and patients.

After graduating from Istanbul University’s Medical School, Tascioglu did his residency in the southeastern Sanliurfa province.

Later, he returned to Istanbul University and earned the title of internal medicine specialist, then associate professor, and then professor.

Described by his close colleagues as a pillar that everybody loves, from his assistants to his students, Tascioglu continued practicing even past retirement age.

Before his untimely passing, Tascioglu made many important contributions to internal medicine.

The death toll from coronavirus in Turkey has risen to 277, with 15,679 cases confirmed so far.

After originating in China last December, the virus has spread to at least 180 countries and territories across the world, with its epicenter shifting to Europe.

The virus has killed nearly 50,000 people and infected over 951,000 globally, while over 202,000 people recovered from the disease, according to figures compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.