now Turkey which had one of the
fastest-growing coronavirus outbreaks in
the world says it's turning the tide the
rate of infection is slowing to its
lowest level since the first recorded
case back in Marsh the authorities say a
nationwide contact tracing system
involving almost 6,000 teams has been
the key from Istanbul our international
correspondent all our gear in reports
how do you track a virus that sweeps
unseen through a city in Istanbul home
to more than 16 million the answer is
you don't waste a minute right from the
very beginning we were ready for the
cough at 19 I know this is where we pick
up the calls they've been contact
tracing since day one when turkey's
first case was diagnosed in March the
system is well developed from decades of
tracking measles it relies on tireless
work by doctors and nurses we are as a
team feel as if we are in a war because
people forgets to go home they don't you
know they don't know the timeframes that
they're working in we say that okay
eight hours is completed but they don't
even care going home because they know
that this is a duty that they have to
complete and before it spreads to anyone
else
so 1200 tracing teams fan out across the
city we joined them in far T the heart
of old Istanbul step-by-step they track
the virus here checking on two flatmates
whose friend is covert positive
[Music]
sumaya and Nosler both in their twenties
are tested on their doorstep just a day
after developing mild symptoms of HIV we
follow foreign news and when we first
heard about the virus we were really
scared but Turkey has rallied faster
than we thought much faster than Europe
and the United States well the doctors
are out of their PPE now everything has
been bagged up it's going to be disposed
of safely they've taken the swabs and
they'll be sent off to the lab and the
results will be back within 24 hours and
even if they test negative
they'll have to remain at home for
another 14 days we're keeping the wire
is out of the streets
that's very important for us once we
isolate them that you know the virus
stops spreading to their friends to
their relatives to their co-workers that
seems to be working so far along with
widespread testing and partial lockdowns
the official death toll here is
relatively low around 4,300
international experts say Turkey has
managed to shield its people from a
greater disaster orlag Erin BBC News
Istanbul in the last few weeks we've
seen how communities across the UK have
been dealing with the corona virus
pandemic it's been a particular
challenge in rural areas where the
population is often older and poorer
with limited public transport and
broadband but in the village of piddle
Hinton in Dorset a huge volunteer effort
has brought unexpected benefits for its
500 residents mister
okay explains it might look idyllic but
even here lockdown is tough people
frightened people are scared and people
are lonely and we're in chaos
Vicky is delivering food and medication
to her elderly neighbors Jim is 87 and
lives alone couldn't manage your marble
everyday the most vulnerable people get
a visit but the community's been so good
with me to me and that's what kept me
going because it'd been a hard hard time
I think we're doing the things that
we've been put off doing for a long time
which is get friendly with your
neighbors you know and look out for each
other and it is an opportunity to write
a few wrongs you know there are elements
within our village within our societies
that have been left out now's a chance
to actually look after them look out for
them with no village shop they've had to
find other ways of getting food to the
most vulnerable there's now a hardship
fund and this farming family has started
delivering to those who can't get to the
shops including the gypsy and travelers
camp where row many families like Luke's
have sometimes felt cut off in the past
however the last few weeks improved the
sense of community here well it's helped
a lot show them respect they'll show you
respect help them hope they help you out
so it's a bit like favor for favor does
it feel like it's it's a happier place
to live these days yes there is an
unexpected sense of renewal here of
connections being made the ladies who
normally decorate the church now make
Posey's delivered by local teenagers we
are thinking of you and thanking you for
all you do love the village two key
workers like a be a Kovac nurse it's
lush
I love it every week I get one and it
just means yeah it's just lifts me up
makes me feel good and just that I'm not
on my own and this we're all together
we're all doing this together what have
you learned as a community all just
looking out for other I think it's that
sense of being covered and cared for and
unloved by sharing their talents and
working together this village has
managed to turn a threat into a fresh
start
[Music]
John K BBC news piddle Hinton in Dorset
[Music]