Turkey brings back nationals on eve of Ramadan

KIRKLARELI/VAN, Turkey

On Thursday, some 349 Turkish nationals were brought back from Canada as part of an initiative by Ankara amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

After routine health checks were coordinated by the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), the passengers were brought to the northwestern city of Kirklareli to be quarantined.

Meanwhile, 249 Turkish nationals were brought back from Oman on the same day and placed under quarantine in the eastern city of Van following health checks.

At the instruction of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and in coordination with the Foreign Ministry, Turkey will bring back nearly 25,000 citizens from 59 countries before the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan begins later this week.

Turkey confirmed 117 more fatalities from the coronavirus on Wednesday, bringing the death toll to 2,376.

Since first appearing in Wuhan, China last December, the virus, officially known as COVID-19, has spread to at least 185 countries and regions, according to figures compiled by the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

Worldwide cases have exceeded 2.63 million with more than 183,000 coronavirus-related deaths. Over 714,000 have recovered from the virus, according to data compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

*Writing by Firdevs Bulut