Covid-19: Turkey continues to report more new cases than recoveries

Authorities have mandated in İstanbul's İstiklal Avenue. (Photo: AA)

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The number of daily coronavirus infections in Turkey was over 1,000 for the sixth day in a row as Health Ministry has confirmed 1,429 more cases of the novel coronavirus for the past 24 hours, bringing the total tally to 182,727.

Recoveries have also been lower than new infections since Saturday (June 13) as 1,261 people have been discharged from treatment today.

The country's death toll from the virus rose to 4,861 with 19 more fatalities in a day. The number of patients in intensive care continued to increase as well.

Turkey has seen a new surge in Covid-19 cases over the past week after lifting most restrictions at the start of the month.

Here are today's numbers:

	Today	Yesterday	Total
Cases	1,429	1,467	182,727
Deaths	19	17	4,861
Tests	52,901	46,800	2,773,904
Recoveries	1,261	1,015	154,640
ICU patients			745 (+13)
Intubated patients			306 (+3)

Coronavirus reopening in Turkey

Turkey's easing of coronavirus measures started as early as on May 11, when the government reopened shopping malls, albeit with new physical distancing and hygiene rules. This was followed by more steps on June 1, including the reopening of cafes, restarurants and similar places, as well as parks, beaches and recration areas.

On the same day, entry and exit restrictions for 15 larger provinces, including İstanbul and Ankara, were lifted and domestic flights resumed.

On June 5, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan abruptly lifted the weekend curfew for the 15 provinces, which was declared by the Interior Ministry about 12 hours before. The weekend curfews had been in place since April 11.

The President further announced on June 9 that people over the age of 65 would be allowed to go out between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. A curfew was declared for the elderly on March 22. Those younger than 18 were also allowed to go out on the condition of being with their parents.

The government also resumed international flights on June 11 and announced that all tourism facilities, theaters and concert halls would reopen on July 1.

(VK)