Turkey’s president on Monday announced the country's most widespread lockdown so far amid a surge in COVID-19 infections, extending curfews to weeknights and putting a full lockdown in place over the weekends.
Speaking after a Cabinet meeting Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said a curfew would be implemented on weekdays between 9:00 pm and 5:00 am. He also announced total weekend lockdowns from 9:00 pm on Friday to 5:00 am on Monday.
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Turkey’s president on Monday announced the country's most widespread lockdown so far amid a surge in COVID-19 infections, extending curfews to weeknights and putting a full lockdown in place over the weekends.
Health Ministry statistics on Monday showed 31,219 confirmed new infections and 188 new deaths. Daily fatalities in Turkey have hit record numbers for eight consecutive days, bringing the country's acknowledged virus death toll to 13,746.
The Turkish Medical Association, which has been critical of the government’s policies and has called for more transparency since March, said 20 health care workers died in one week from COVID-19 complications. ICU bed occupation was around 71%, according to the health ministry.
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Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks after a cabinet meeting, in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Erdogan has announced the most widespread lockdown so far amid a surge in COVID-19 infections, extending curfews to weeknights and full lockdowns over weekends.(Turkish Presidency via AP, Pool)
After strong pressure from the medical community and the public, Turkey last week resumed reporting all positive tests for the virus, after releasing only the number of symptomatic cases for four months. That caused daily cases to shoot up to around 30,000 and put Turkey among the hardest-hit nations in Europe during the pandemic.
FILE - In this Monday, March 30, 2020, file photo, officials wearing protective face masks and suits as a preventive measure against the spread of the coronavirus carry the coffin of a victim, who died of COVID-19 onto a hearse truck, at a morgue in Istanbul. When Turkey changed the way it reports daily COVID-19 infections, it confirmed what medical groups and opposition parties have long suspected — that the country is faced with an alarming surge of cases that is fast exhausting the Turkish health system. The official daily COVID-19 deaths have also steadily risen to record numbers in a reversal of fortune for the country that had been praised for managing to keep fatalities low. With the new data, the country jumped from being one of the least-affected countries in Europe to one of the worst-hit.(AP PhotoEmrah Gurel, File)
Health Ministry statistics on Monday showed 31,219 confirmed new infections and 188 new deaths. Daily fatalities in Turkey have hit record numbers for eight consecutive days, bringing the country's acknowledged virus death toll to 13,746.
The new curfews begin Tuesday. Grocery stores and food delivery services are exempt from the lockdowns within certain hours.
In the spring, Turkey instituted temporary weekend and holiday lockdowns to fight the spread of COVID-19, but current infections and deaths have surged beyond the spring numbers. Weekend night curfews for the past two weeks have done little to curb people’s movements, with Turkish media showing packed public spaces.
FILE - In this Friday, May 29, 2020, file photo, a woman takes pictures as worshippers wearing face masks and observing social distancing guidelines to protect against coronavirus, attend Friday prayers, outside Fatih mosque, in Istanbul. When Turkey changed the way it reports daily COVID-19 infections, it confirmed what medical groups and opposition parties have long suspected — that the country is faced with an alarming surge of cases that is fast exhausting the Turkish health system. The official daily COVID-19 deaths have also steadily risen to record numbers in a reversal of fortune for the country that had been praised for managing to keep fatalities low. With the new data, the country jumped from being one of the least-affected countries in Europe to one of the worst-hit. (AP PhotoEmrah Gurel, File)
The Turkish Medical Association, which has been critical of the government’s policies and has called for more transparency since March, said 20 health care workers died in one week from COVID-19 complications. ICU bed occupation was around 71%, according to the health ministry.
Erdogan also announced that people above 65 or younger than 20, who are allowed out for only three hours a day, would not be allowed to use public transport, mall-goers would have to use a contact tracing code, and weddings and funerals would be limited to 30 people. He also urged people to quit smoking, open their windows, abide by mask-wearing guidelines and social distancing.
The president also promised that 50 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine would be administered free of charge, starting with health care workers next month, following an agreement with the Chinese pharmaceutical company SinoVac.
FILE - In this Friday, May 29, 2020, file photo, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, wearing a mask for protection against the coronavirus, arrives to inaugurate a new hospital in Istanbul. When Turkey changed the way it reports daily COVID-19 infections, it confirmed what medical groups and opposition parties have long suspected — that the country is faced with an alarming surge of cases that is fast exhausting the Turkish health system. The official daily COVID-19 deaths have also steadily risen to record numbers in a reversal of fortune for the country that had been praised for managing to keep fatalities low. With the new data, the country jumped from being one of the least-affected countries in Europe to one of the worst-hit.(Can ErokDHA via AP, File)
Follow AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks after a cabinet meeting, in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Erdogan has announced the most widespread lockdown so far amid a surge in COVID-19 infections, extending curfews to weeknights and full lockdowns over weekends.(Turkish Presidency via AP, Pool)
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks after a cabinet meeting, in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. Erdogan has announced the most widespread lockdown so far amid a surge in COVID-19 infections, extending curfews to weeknights and full lockdowns over weekends.(Turkish Presidency via AP, Pool)