Eight people were killed Saturday in a fire at an intensive care unit treating COVID-19 patients in southern Turkey, state-run media reported.The Anadolu news agency said the fire started when an oxygen cylinder exploded at the privately-run Sanko University Hospital unit in Gaziantep.The agency cited a hospital statement identifying the victims as being aged between 56 and 85. The fire was quickly brought under control.For more on coronavirus, visit our dedicated section.The statement said 14 patients undergoing intensive care treatment were transferred to other hospitals. An investigation was underway.Intensive care units across Turkey currently have a 74 percent bed occupancy rate due to the coronavirus outbreak, according to government figures, although medical associations have claimed that hospitals are overrun.Read more:Coronavirus: UK removes UAE, Bahrain from COVID-19 travel quarantine listCoronavirus: Dubai updates winter tourism travel rules; UK, Germany test on arrivalCoronavirus: England adds Saudi Arabia to safe travel corridor listOn Friday evening, the Health Ministry reported 26,410 new cases over the previous 24 hours, bringing the total since March to 1.98 million. The figure includes asymptomatic cases that Ankara did not report in the four months to late November.A record daily high of 246 COVID-19-related deaths were recorded, the ministry said, taking the total to 17,610.
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Eight COVID-19 patients killed in Turkish hospital fire
