- Title: Turkey bans face mask exports as coronavirus spreads across country
- Date: 23rd March 2020
- Summary: ANKARA, TURKEY (MARCH 23, 2020) (REUTERS) TURKISH HEALTH MINISTER FAHRETTIN KOCA HOLDING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH HEALTH MINISTER, FAHRETTIN KOCA, SAYING: "It is not localised in a certain area in Turkey. We know that there are positive patients almost across the whole country." DOCTORS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH HEALTH MINISTER, FAHRETTIN KOCA, SAYING: "The necessary sanctions were imposed to some manufacturers who were exploiting the high demand for their advantage and we will continue to impose them. Exports are stopped. Masks produced in Turkey will not be exported while we need them here." AKCAKALE, TURKEY (MARCH 23, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF VOLUNTEER WOMEN SEWING FACE MASKS
- Embargoed: 6th April 2020 19:41
- Keywords: Turkey coronavirus covid-19 export ban face masks
- Location: ANKARA AND AKCAKALE, TURKEY
- City: ANKARA AND AKCAKALE, TURKEY
- Country: Turkey
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001C69XZRB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Turkey will stop exporting locally-made face masks so its own health services can use them as coronavirus spreads across the country, health minister Fahrettin Koca said on Monday (March 23).
Turkey has confirmed 1,236 cases, Koca said on Sunday (March 22) - a rise of 289 from the day before - as well as 30 deaths. He said some patients had recovered, but did not provide any details.
Earlier, the Hurriyet newspaper quoted Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu as saying authorities had raided warehouses storing masks. The government would seize factories if local producers did not agree to sell the masks to the health ministry by Monday night, Soylu was quoted as saying.
Turkish producers had been exporting medical equipment to a number of countries, including Iran.
But Ankara has been increasing controls on the trade to meet its own demands. Last week, it moved to limit private sales by mandating a doctor's prescription for some masks.
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