Turkey reported 27,515 more coronavirus infections, including 4,209 symptomatic patients, over the past 24 hours, according to Health Ministry data released Thursday.

The total number of cases reached 1.95 million with the latest additions, the data showed.

As many as 30,494 cases recovered over the past day, bringing the tally to 1.72 million, while the death toll climbed to 17,364 with 243 additions.

Across the country, more than 206,000 COVID-19 tests were carried out, pushing the total to over 21.9 million.

The number of patients in critical condition now stands at 5,803.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said the tally of patients in critical condition had finally begun to drop. "Measures and restrictions have begun to bear fruit," he said.

The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed over 1.65 million lives in 191 countries and regions since last December.

Nearly 74.4 million cases have been reported worldwide, with more than 42.1 million recoveries, according to figures compiled by the U.S.' Johns Hopkins University.

While the U.S., India and Brazil remain the worst-hit countries in terms of the number of cases, Europe is in the grip of a devastating second wave of infections.