Istanbul Mayor Tests Positive For COVID-19

The mayor of Turkish metropolis Istanbul has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, an official announced on Saturday.

"The health condition of our mayor, whose treatment process started at the hospital, is good," Murat Ongun, spokesman of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, said on Twitter.

Imamoglu also confirmed the diagnosis later in a Twitter post.

"Today, I tested positive for COVID-19. I am feeling well and will be recovering in the hospital. Many thanks for your good wishes and support," he wrote.

In an accompanying video from the hospital room, the mayor said he had been regularly getting himself tested for the virus, with the last one on Wednesday returning negative.

However, he felt feverish on Friday night and came to the hospital, where he was administered a COVID-19 test and kept overnight.

The test result came back positive on Saturday, said Imamoglu.

"I'm actually fine right now, my fever is not bad," he said, urging the people of Istanbul to strictly follow coronavirus safety measures.

On Friday, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said Turkey's largest city accounted for 40% of the country's total COVID-19 count.

Authorities reported 2,165 more patients on Friday – topping 2,000 for the third straight day.

The overall tally now stands at 357,693, including 311,520 recoveries, according to Health Ministry data. -