Syrian Interim Government takes coronavirus measures

ANKARA

The Syrian Interim Government will set up three quarantine centers with Turkey's help in northern Syria as part of measures against the novel coronavirus.

Abdurrahman Mustafa, president of the opposition government, said: “We are taking preventive measures in coordination with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Turkey’s Ministry of Health,” Mustafa said.

The 20-bed centers will be set up next week in northern Syria, he added.

“A laboratory will detect and examine suspected cases,” he added.

“Our medical teams working in the region will be trained for the laboratory tests in Turkey,” he said.

No coronavirus cases have been reported in Syria so far.

Schools in the region have been closed for two weeks.

The virus thought to have originated in Wuhan, China last December has spread to 129 countries and territories.

The global death toll from the virus has crossed 5,300 with more than 142,000 cases confirmed worldwide, according to the WHO.