Turkish entrepreneur gives virus responders free coffee

A Turkish small business owner is giving free coffee to health care workers and first responders fighting the coronavirus in the US state of Virginia.

East West Coffee Wine, which has been opened in Arlington County since 2017, says it is now time to give back to those "who are tirelessly working to protect us".

Mehmet Osman Coskun contacted Rosslyn Business Improvement District to extend support to health workers earlier this month and rushed coffee to the Virginia Hospital Center.

Coskun has given coffee three times a week since April 9 to hospital staff and said he will continue the act of charity for the length of the crisis.

"Like most of the businesses going to aid of the health workers, I want to do my part to show my gratitude amid this uncertain time," he told Anadolu Agency Thursday.

Coskun, 35, originally from Konya province in central Turkey and a US resident since 2000, feels joy to see first responders believe the community is behind them.

"And it is hard not to feel happy when you make someone smile," said Coskun.

The Turkish entrepreneur is also giving free coffee to the police and fire departments in Arlington.

"During such a massive fight, the East West Coffee Wine wants to contribute to these efforts toward the end to win the battle," he said. "Until this pandemic is over, we will continue to provide free coffee to the health care workers and first responders."

In Virginia, there are nearly 11,000 coronavirus cases and 372 deaths. Arlington recorded 686 cases and 24 deaths, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

Johns Hopkins University said the virus has infected more than 2.6 million worldwide, including more than 846,000 in the U.S., and killed an excess of 186,000, with 47,000 in the US.

The virus emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December.