A study conducted in the United States revealed that a simple dose of aspirin can reduce the risk of serious coronavirus-related complications, with a Turkish expert stating that the drug has already been in use in Turkey since the beginning of the outbreak in March.

Professor Alpay Azap, a member of the Health Ministry’s Coronavirus Scientific Advisory Board, told Demirören News Agency (DHA) on Thursday that aspirin was an anticoagulant and the study by scientists from the University of Maryland pointed to this. "A significant factor in COVID-19 related deaths is the virus’ impact on cells in the inner surface of veins that lead to blood clotting. Blood clots block thinner veins and this in turn blocks vital supplies to organs, eventually leading to lung failure or heart attacks. The study showed aspirin prevents this," he said.

Like other countries, Turkey tapped into whatever drugs it had access to in order to fight COVID-19 and is striving to develop its own vaccine. Meanwhile, the pandemic continues to claim lives as the number of recovered patients in Turkey has neared 320,000 while the number of patients stands at over 386,500. On Wednesday, the fatalities passed the 10,000 mark.

The number of patients is particularly high in Istanbul. Speaking at an event in the city on Wednesday, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca called on businesses in the city to come up with alternating shifts for employees in a bid to halt a sharp increase in COVID-19 patients across the country's most populous city. Koca said the biggest reason for the increase in infections in Istanbul was public transportation as millions of workers rely on mass transit vehicles during rush hour, creating the optimal environment for the virus to further spread.