This archive report was first published on 6 May 2020.
On Tuesday, Turkey repatriated a national who had contracted COVID-19 while in Sudan, where he was unable to access medical treatment despite testing positive for the virus.
Mehmet Hanefi Aydin, 55, was flown back to Istanbul on an ambulance plane after his children's pleas for help on social media sparked a response from the Turkish government.
Upon arrival in Istanbul, Aydin was taken to the Marmara University Pendik Training and Research Hospital for treatment.
As of the current pandemic, over 3.64 million cases have been reported in 187 countries and regions since the virus emerged in China in December, with the US and Europe being the hardest-hit areas.
While nearly 1.2 million patients have recovered, the virus has claimed over 255,000 lives, according to data compiled by US-based Johns Hopkins University.
