Nine patients with COVID-19 died in a fire in an intensive care unit at a hospital in southern Turkey on Saturday, officials said.
An oxygen cylinder exploded in the intensive care unit at Sanko University Hospital in Gaziantep, killing nine patients between the ages of 56 and 85. The fire was quickly extinguished and 10 other patients survived, the Associated Press reported.
Government figures show that ICU units in Turkey currently have a bed occupancy rate of 74% due to the pandemic, but medical officials say the number is higher and Turkish hospitals are crowded with coronavirus patients.
As of Friday, Turkey reported 26,410 new coronavirus cases, bringing the country’s total since March to 1.98 million.
Turkey reached a daily record of 246 COVID-19-related deaths reported on Friday for a total of 17,610 coronavirus-related deaths.