Turkey: Air ambulance carries radioactive product

ISTANBUL

A Turkish air ambulance on Friday carried for the first time ever a radioactive substance used for cancer screening.

Fluorodeoxyglucose, which is used in cancer tests, was sent by air ambulance after all domestic flights were suspended in Turkey due to coronavirus.

The ambulance left Istanbul early morning and arrived at the Erzurum Airport.

The substance will be dispatched to hospitals in Erzurum and neighboring provinces of Turkey.

After originating in China last December, COVID-19 has spread to at least 187 countries and regions. Europe and the US are currently the worst-hit regions.

The pandemic has killed more than 270,000 people worldwide, with total infections over 3.86 million, while more than 1.29 million patients have recovered, according to figures compiled by the US’ Johns Hopkins University.