Turkey recorded 7,381 new coronavirus patients and 161 daily deaths over the last day, the Health Ministry announced on Tuesday.
According to the ministry data, the total number of COVID-19 patients since the outbreak has increased to 460,916 with Tuesday’s figures, while the total death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 12,672 in the country.
The data showed more 160,000 COVID-19 tests were carried out in the last 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the total number of recoveries increased to 381,569, with an additional 3,678 patients testing negative for COVID-19 the previous day.
Following the arrival of winter and the accompanying winter season, Turkey has been witnessing a resurgence in coronavirus cases, like the rest of the world.
With daily figures almost doubling over the previous week, Turkey has been witnessing record levels of daily coronavirus patients over the past few days.
In order to curb the rapid rise in infection levels, the government reintroduced a slew of restrictions last week, with warnings that more would come if the infection rates fail to go down.
“Your support is a must for the measures we have announced to make a change. Stay away from crowds as much as you can,” said Health Minister Fahrettin Koca on Twitter, shortly after the announcement of daily figures.
The measures include a partial curfew from 8 p.m. to 10 a.m. that will be imposed nationwide on weekends.
Aside from weekend curfews, a special stay-at-home order was issued for senior citizens aged 65 and above, as well as youth aged 20 and below. Senior citizens are allowed to go out between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., while people aged 20 or younger will be allowed out from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Schools will remain shut for the remainder of the first semester, with students switching to online education. Restaurants and cafes will be barred from hosting customers and will only be allowed to provide delivery and takeout orders. They will be able to serve takeout orders during the daytime hours and will switch to delivery-only after 8 p.m.
Businesses such as grocery stores, shopping malls and hair salons had their operating hours limited to 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Other measures include the closure of traditional Turkish tea houses until further notice, as well as shutting down cinemas until the end of the year. All sports events will continue to be held behind closed doors.
