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Turkish Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu said there is currently no risk of a hantavirus outbreak in Türkiye, urging the public to rely on official statements rather than speculation.
Speaking during a live television broadcast, Memisoglu stressed that Türkiye’s healthcare system is fully prepared to monitor and respond to potential infectious disease threats. He noted that the country had successfully managed the COVID-19 pandemic and remains capable of handling future outbreaks.
“Hantavirus poses no outbreak risk at the moment. Our society should feel reassured,” the minister said.
Memisoglu also revealed that five Turkish citizens who were tested for hantavirus all received negative results.
According to the minister, two individuals had previously disembarked from an international cruise ship and were later placed under quarantine. Three others were transported back to Türkiye on a government aircraft under strict isolation measures.
Although all test results came back negative, the five individuals remain under a 42-day quarantine and observation process as a precaution.
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During the interview, Memisoglu highlighted Türkiye’s growing ambitions in health care production and medical technology.
He stated that the Türkiye Health Institutes Presidency had supported around 2,000 projects over the past year as part of the government’s “Protective, Developmental and Productive Health care” vision.
The minister said Türkiye recently launched development efforts for a domestically produced color Doppler ultrasound device, which is expected to be ready within two years.
He also announced that locally developed CAR-T cell therapy for blood cancers has been successfully applied to patients since December at Ankara Etlik City Hospital, with expansion planned to other cities including Antalya, Istanbul and Kayseri.
Memisoglu further stated that Türkiye had developed a domestically produced heart-lung machine in partnership with the country's leading defense electronics company, ASELSAN.
The first device has reportedly been delivered to Bilkent City Hospital and is expected to enter clinical use in the coming days.
The minister also said Türkiye has begun producing its own medication for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), with clinical studies currently underway.
Addressing preventive health care policies, Memisoglu said approximately 7 million people underwent free cancer screenings in the past year through family health centers and Healthy Life Centers across Türkiye.
According to the minister, around 28,000 people received early cancer diagnoses through these programs.
Memisoglu also commented on cesarean birth rates, noting that Türkiye saw a decline in cesarean deliveries last year for the first time in many years.
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