Coronavirus: British couple self-isolating in camper van in Turkey car park
Coronavirus: British couple self-isolating in camper van in Turkey car park
A British couple stranded in Turkey have decided to self-isolate in their camper van.
3 min read
Chris and Marianne Fisher, from Shropshire [BBC screengrab]
A couple from England have had their dream trip around the world cut short after the coronavirus pandemic has stranded them in Turkey.
Chris and Marianne Fisher, from Shropshire, left the UK in January in a camper van for a round-the-world trip.
The pair had even set up a website called Tread the Globe, where thousands of people were following their trip.
However, they have found themselves trapped in a public carpark in Istanbul as countries across the world crack down on travellers and social distancing measures following the Covid-19 outbreak.
Though their camper van has washing and toilet facilities, the Fishers are currently holed up in a £10-a-night car park in the city.
So far, they’ve been in Istanbul 10 days and have been self-isolating for three of them.
“It’s funny because there’s been loads of people in the flats opposite us that have been waving, going ‘Where are you from?’” Marianne said in a video to BBC Midlands.
They’ve managed to hang a washing line in the corner of the carpark, they’ve been using a tap for water, and the van was plugged into the carpark’s electricity supply.
“There’s a bay tree here which I managed to pinch some and use in the curry yesterday,” Chris added.
“We would rather be on the beach,” Marianne admitted.
Travellers and social media influencers are being discouraged from travelling in light of the pandemic. Some had taken to attempting to fly to places not yet touched by coronavirus, with health professionals calling such acts irresponsible, by endangering the indigenous populations.
Coronavirus deaths in Turkey
According to figures released late Monday, Turkey has officially recorded 1,529 coronavirus cases and 37 deaths.
Turkey’s health minister recently announced the country was using a drug sent from China on patients suffering from the novel coronavirus.
Read More: Coronavirus in service of authoritarianism
"From this morning we have brought a special drug used in China which is claimed to have resulted in improvements in intensive care patients, cutting their time in care from 11-12 days to four days," Fahrettin Koca told reporters.
He did not give more information on the drug but the anti-malarial drug chloroquine has recently been used to treat coronavirus patients in China as well as France.
Some researchers have said chloroquine shows great promise, though scientists have agreed that more trials are needed to determine if the drug is really effective and safe.
There had been speculation that Koca might announce a state of emergency, but he urged Turks to "announce their own state of emergency" as he insisted citizens adhere to measures already announced by Ankara.
Turkish authorities have ordered those aged 65 and above and those with chronic illnesses to stay at home, while most public spaces have been temporarily closed.
Chris and Marianne Fisher, from Shropshire, left the UK in January in a camper van for a round-the-world trip.
The pair had even set up a website called Tread the Globe, where thousands of people were following their trip.
However, they have found themselves trapped in a public carpark in Istanbul as countries across the world crack down on travellers and social distancing measures following the Covid-19 outbreak.
Though their camper van has washing and toilet facilities, the Fishers are currently holed up in a £10-a-night car park in the city.
So far, they’ve been in Istanbul 10 days and have been self-isolating for three of them.
“It’s funny because there’s been loads of people in the flats opposite us that have been waving, going ‘Where are you from?’” Marianne said in a video to BBC Midlands.
They’ve managed to hang a washing line in the corner of the carpark, they’ve been using a tap for water, and the van was plugged into the carpark’s electricity supply.
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“There’s a bay tree here which I managed to pinch some and use in the curry yesterday,” Chris added.
“We would rather be on the beach,” Marianne admitted.
Travellers and social media influencers are being discouraged from travelling in light of the pandemic. Some had taken to attempting to fly to places not yet touched by coronavirus, with health professionals calling such acts irresponsible, by endangering the indigenous populations.
Coronavirus deaths in Turkey
According to figures released late Monday, Turkey has officially recorded 1,529 coronavirus cases and 37 deaths.
Turkey’s health minister recently announced the country was using a drug sent from China on patients suffering from the novel coronavirus.
Read More: Coronavirus in service of authoritarianism
"From this morning we have brought a special drug used in China which is claimed to have resulted in improvements in intensive care patients, cutting their time in care from 11-12 days to four days," Fahrettin Koca told reporters.
He did not give more information on the drug but the anti-malarial drug chloroquine has recently been used to treat coronavirus patients in China as well as France.
Some researchers have said chloroquine shows great promise, though scientists have agreed that more trials are needed to determine if the drug is really effective and safe.
There had been speculation that Koca might announce a state of emergency, but he urged Turks to "announce their own state of emergency" as he insisted citizens adhere to measures already announced by Ankara.
Turkish authorities have ordered those aged 65 and above and those with chronic illnesses to stay at home, while most public spaces have been temporarily closed.
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