Thirty-two Turkish citizens have so far died from the novel coronavirus while out of the country, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Wednesday.
“Unfortunately, our 32 citizens, mostly in Europe, died from the novel coronavirus. Some of the families wanted to bring their remains to Turkey, and we’re working to help them,” Çavuşoğlu told reporters at a press conference, according to the Hürriyet Daily News.
He added that 2,711 Turkish students studying in eight countries were repatriated with the help of Turkish Airlines.
The students were put under quarantine in three Turkish provinces upon their return.
As many countries declare national emergency measures, expatriates and international students are seeking ways to return home during the global coronavirus pandemic.
According to Çavuşoğlu, 69 countries have asked Turkey for support with medical equipment, and Ankara was able to provide assistance to 17 of them. He also stressed the importance of international cooperation in the health sector.