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Ombudsman Institution

Health Procedures to be Applied at International Entry Points published in
the Official Gazette dated 03.11.2013 No. 28810, Circular on the System
of Notification of Infectious Diseases (dated 23.10.2015 and No: 2015/18),
and Circular on the Guidance to Fight against Infectious Diseases (dated
11.09.2018 and No:).

Furthermore, the country experiences gained in treating the disease,
particularly the experiences of China, have been urgently reviewed and
treatment protocols have been formulated accordingly. While formulating
these protocols, not only the country practices available but also the solid
scientific advices, particularly of WHO, have been taken into consideration.

In the meantime, the Ombudsman Institution of Türkiye has continued
to receive and handle applications. During the fight against the COVID-19
pandemic, the Institution has received applications filed about the shortcomings
in the provision of public services or about requests in different subject areas.
The Institution has been continuing its works non-stop and processing the
incoming applications to resolve them. The Institution has also considered
it necessary to draw attention to Türkiye’s huge efforts to curb the pandemic.
1. An Overview of the COVID-19 virus

The novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a virus identified on 13 January
2020 following the examinations conducted on a group of patients with
respiratory symptoms (e.g.; fever, cough, shortness of breath) which were first
reported in Wuhan City, China on 12 December 2019. The virus originally
emerged at the people who had been at the sea food and animal market in
this region. And then, transmitting from one person to another, the virus
spread from Wuhan to other cities in Hubei and the rest of China and the
1
world, resulting in a pandemic. The first case of COVID-19 in Türkiye was
confirmed on 10 March 2020.

International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee
convened on 30 January 2020 regarding the outbreak of novel coronavirus and
acknowledged that the virus created public health emergencies of international

1 https://covid19bilgi.saglik.gov.tr/tr/ Access Date: 03/05/2020

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