80 Turkish Cypriots die in UK due to coronavirus

LEFKOSA, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

At least 80 Turkish Cypriots living in the U.K. died due to novel coronavirus, an official said on late Sunday.

“According to the official figures I received from our London Representative today, we have so far lost 80 citizens in the U.K. as a result of the epidemic,” said Kudret Ozersay, the deputy prime minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

"Among them were so many beautiful people, who have made an important contribution to Turkish Cypriots living in England...," Ozersay, who is also foreign minister, said on the social media.

The TRNC confirmed its first case on March 10, while a total of four people, including two German citizens, have died due to the coronavirus.

After originating in Wuhan, China last December, COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, has spread to at least 185 countries and regions across the world, with Europe and the U.S. the worst hit.

The pandemic has killed more than 165,200 people with the number of confirmed cases exceeding 2.4 million, while nearly 624,800 have recovered from the disease, according to figures compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.