Locals live isolated amid virus on Turkey’s lake island

Residents of a lake island in Turkey live a mostly isolated live, but most importantly they are corona-free as the world grapples with the novel coronavirus. 

Mada Island is the biggest of 32 islands inside Beyşehir Lake in Isparta and Konya provinces in southwestern Turkey. It is 250 kilometers from Turkey's tourist hub of the province of Antalya on the Mediterranean coast.

There are no reported cases of the virus on the island where 180 people currently live.

The only way on and off the island is by boat and each family possesses one.

Islanders need to paddle for 700 meters to reach the mainland.

Turkish aid group helps residents

Residents are mainly elderly and get help from the Vefa Social Support Group that was formed to help those aged 65 and older, or who have chronic illnesses, after the government issued a stay-at-home policy March 21.

Teams deliver necessary items, including food or medicine, and the items are distributed door-to-door.

Residents show their gratitude to the Vefa teams with local food when they receive deliveries.

Aytuğ Kazancı is in charge of the Şarkikaraağaç Vefa Support Group and said because the population consists of those who have chronic illnesses and are elderly, teams had to make the 700-meter paddle quite often.

"We are making a difficult road to reach to the island but it is worth seeing the happiness on people's faces," he said.

Turkey has registered nearly 91,000 coronavirus cases with its death toll currently at 2,100.

Since appearing in Wuhan, China, last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 185 countries and regions.

Data compiled by the U.S.' Johns Hopkins University shows worldwide infections at...