Coronavirus: Turkish man barred from visiting quarantined relative stabs security guard

The man was prevented from visiting his relative due to government guidelines.

2 min read

22 March, 2020

Turkey has confirmed 21 deaths from the Covid-19 disease [Getty]

A Turkish man stabbed a hospital security guard after he was prevented from visiting a relative quarantined due to the coronavirus pandemic, Duvar reported.

The unnamed man attacked the security guard after he was told he could not visit his family member due to government guidelines designed to prevent the spread the novel coronavirus, which causes the Covid-19 disease.

The security guard later underwent surgery due to the "saddening incident", an official at the Sureyyapasa Hospital in Istanbul's Maltepe district said.

Elsewhere in Turkey, a man punched a hospital doctor who told him he was better off staying at home as his condition was not serious.

The unidentified man was arrested after punching an A&E doctor at the Ataturk State Hospital in the central province of Duzce, Cumhuriyet reported.

He had demanded treatment after complaining of a headache, but the doctor said his condition was not serious and it was safer for him to be at home due to the risk of catching the new coronavirus at hospital.

On Saturday, Turkey barred citizens over 65 from leaving their homes in a bid to contain the virus' spread.

Citizens with chronic health conditions will also be required to stay at home under the new stringent measures.

Ankara has urged citizens of all ages to stay at home and has shuttered many businesses, including bars, cafes and most restaurants.

Turkey's number of confirmed Covid-19 cases rose to 947 on Satuday, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said.

The country's death toll from the highly contagious virus surged from nine on Friday to 21 after the deaths of 12 elderly patients, Koca added.