Coronavirus outbreak exposes health risks of coal rush
The coronavirus outbreak could serve as a wake-up call for coal-dependent countries, as it proves how closely human lives depend on air quality.
The detrimental health effects of Turkey’s appetite for coal have become evident during the coronavirus pandemic, as Turkish officials singled out Zonguldak, a small Black Sea province where lung disease is prevalent, for additional precautions.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced new measures against COVID-19 on April 4, including an intercity travel ban on 31 provinces for the next 15 days. The 30 cities on the list were the country’s largest, with populations of 750,000 and above. The only exception was the city of Zonguldak: home to Turkey’s largest reserves of hard coal and its biggest coal-fired power plant.
The decision was based on the “prevalence of lung diseases” in the city, Erdogan said. The government had also imposed a weekend curfew on Zonguldak and 30 other cities since April 10.
Some 463 COVID-19 cases were recorded in Zonguldak as of April 10, rendering it the province with the 10th highest number of cases, despite its small population. The spread of the disease has triggered worries over mortality rates in the province, as those with chronic illnesses are at a higher risk of being hospitalized by the coronavirus.
