Turkey becoming a main Covid-19 source for Qatar

Sara Wahid

There is fear among ordinary Qataris with Covid-19 infections increasing in their country and their government failing in addressing the disease in a transparent manner.

So far, the Qatari Ministry of Health reported 2,376 Covid-19 infections.

Main source

Turkey is emerging as the main source of the virus for Qatar.

This is particularly true after two Turkish officers who teach at the Qatari Police Academy tested positive for the disease, according to the opposition site, Qatarileaks.

The two officers were on a vacation in their country and returned to Doha 18 days ago.

Having returned to the Qatari capital, the two officers went to work as usual and came in contact with a large number of Qatari students.

However, on April 8, the two officers tested positive for the disease, Qatarileaks said.

As a result, the Police Academy prepared a long list of the people these two officers came in contact with.

The academy was, meanwhile, shut down and decontaminated for days, amid fear from its students.

Economic interests

Air travel continues to happen between Qatar and Turkey, even as the two states suspended all other flights. This increases the problem in Qatar, especially with Covid-19 infections in Turkey growing beyond 40,000.

There is at least one flight from Doha to Istanbul every day, Turkish media says.

Demand for travel between the two capitals has contributed to increasing the price of air tickets to dramatic levels, the media says.

It adds that those who want to travel to Turkey from any part of the world can do this through Qatar.