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Turkey
Turkish state media reported that 8 people died on Saturday in a fire at an intensive care unit treating Corona patients in southern Turkey.
Anatolia News Agency reported that the fire started when an oxygen bottle exploded in the unit of the privately run Sanko University Hospital in Gaziantep.
The agency cited a statement from the hospital that specified the ages of the victims between 56 and 85, and the fire was quickly brought under control.
The statement indicated that 14 patients in intensive treatment have been transferred to other hospitals and the accident is being investigated.
According to government figures, intensive care units in Turkey have a bed occupancy rate of 74 percent due to the coronavirus outbreak, although medical associations have claimed that hospitals have exceeded capacity.
On Friday night, the Health Ministry reported 26,410 new cases during the past 24 hours, bringing the total number since March to 1.98 million.
The figure includes asymptomatic cases that Ankara had not reported in the four months to the end of November.
The ministry said a daily record of 246 Corona-related deaths was recorded, bringing the total to 17,610 deaths, according to “Sky News.”
