Turkey: Galatasaray head coach beats coronavirus

ANKARA

Galatasaray's head coach Fatih Terim tested negative for the new coronavirus Wednesday after receiving a positive test late last month.

"As you know, I have been battling against this virus for nearly a month. Believe me it wasn't easy but thank god! Today I wanted to share my test result with you as I tested negative for the first time over my lasting treatment," the Turkish football coach said in a live video on Instagram. "So please take this serious to protect yourself, beloved ones and people around you.”

Terim, 66, urged followers to heed health experts' warnings and offered condolences to the families of coronavirus victims.

He wished patience and recovery for those suffering from COVID-19 and thanked the medical staff for treating him and said he is ready to be plasmotherapy donor if he can satisfy medical criteria.

In addition to coaching clubs in Italy and Turkey, Terim managed the Turkish National Football Team, with his latest stint wrapping up in 2017.

He earned eight Turkish league titles with Galatasaray and is viewed as one of the greatest football managers in Turkey.

More than 2 million people have been infected by the virus and more than 128,000 have died from COVID-19 complications in the four months since it was detected in December, according to data being compiled by Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.

Turkey’s health minister said on Wednesday the death toll reached 1,518 as 115 more people died in the past 24 hours.