Turkey tightens coronavirus measures, brings back weekend lockdowns: Erdogan

FILE PHOTO: People wearing protective masks stroll at Eminonu district amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Istanbul, Turkey March 3, 2021. REUTERS/Murad Sezer

ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan announced tighter measures against the coronavirus on Monday, citing the rising number of high-risk cities across the country.

Erdogan said a full weekend lockdown was to be in place during the holy Islamic month of Ramadan, and restaurants would only serve food for delivery and take-outs. A curfew from 9 pm until 5 am across the country will continue, Erdogan said.

Turkey has recorded 32,404 new coronavirus cases in the space of 24 hours, the highest number this year, health ministry data showed on Monday.

The cumulative number of cases stood at 3,240,577 and the latest daily death toll was 154, bringing the cumulative toll to 32,404.

Turkey’s biggest city Istanbul and capital Ankara are among the high-risk cities, Erdogan said, adding that 80 percent of the country’s almost 84 million citizens lived in high-risk cities.

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