Turkey: Earthquake survivors continue to recover

IZMIR, Turkey

A total of 999 patients wounded last week during an earthquake in Turkey have been discharged from hospitals, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said Thursday.

Treatment of 36 patients are ongoing with seven in intensive care and five are in critical condition.

Koca said 114 people were killed when the quake struck Izmir in the Aegean region, 107 died under debris and seven expired at hospitals.

After visiting patients he said infants and children who were rescued from collapsed buildings are recovering and have no serious health issues.

Currently 1,118 health care professionals from the National Medical Rescue Team are performing health checks at tent cities.

Turning to the coronavirus pandemic, Koca said Turkey started trials of a local COVID-19 vaccine Thursday.

"Application on humans that we call Phase 1 has started at Erciyes University. I guess it will be completed in 5 to 6 weeks," he said.

*Writing by Dilan Pamuk in Ankara