WHO calls on Turkey to follow Covid-19 reporting guidelines

The World Health Organisation office in Turkey repeated its call for Covid-19 cases and deaths to be reported in line with the agency's guidelines to "harmonise data collection and response measures". Last week, Turkey's health minister revealed the daily Covid-19 figures published by the ministry since July 29 reflected only patients with symptoms, not asymptomatic positive cases. Critics questioned the veracity of Turkey's reported cases and deaths. Last Thursday, Turkey's top medical association and the main opposition party criticised the decision by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government to only disclose new cases if the patient showed symptoms. Members of the Turkish Medical Association and of the Republican People's Party said the policy hid the true scale of Turkey's outbreak and was meant to keep the economy moving. The WHO commended Turkey on its increased testing capacity and contact-tracing efforts and said the country "has been isolating all Covid-19 positive cases, regardless of their symptoms". The WHO has been consulting with members, including Turkey, to improve reporting and data collection, it said. The organisation defines confirmed cases as “a person with laboratory confirmation of Covid-19 infection, irrespective of clinical signs and symptoms”. But last Thursday, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said daily case totals comprised only those who showed symptoms. Turkey's official numbers from Saturday show 323,014 cases and 8,384 deaths.

WHO calls on Turkey to follow Covid-19 reporting guidelines

Critics have questioned the accuracy of the infection and death figures being reported by Turkey