Smokers are 14 times more likely to contract coronavirus compared with those who do not smoke, the head of a Turkish anti-addiction group told Anadolu Agency.

Professor Mucahit Ozturk, president of anti-addiction group Turkish Green Crescent, on Thursday urged smokers to quit to protect themselves from the virus.

“Using tobacco and tobacco products increases the risk of catching the coronavirus, therefore, avoiding all addictive substances plays an important role in protecting ourselves against the virus,” Ozturk said.

“A weak immune system poses a threat to your health since it delays the treatment process and makes treatment difficult during the epidemic, even if you occasionally use addictive substances,” he said.

“Smoking can cause damage to the lungs and block the cough reflex so viruses and bacteria could stick to the airways and lungs, which could lead to serious infections.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) also said smokers are likely to be more vulnerable to the virus as  fingers are in contact with the lips, which increases the possibility of hand-to-mouth transmission.

According to Johns Hopkins University data, more than two million cases of the coronavirus, COVID-19 have been reported worldwide, with more than 137,000 deaths and 517,000 recoveries.