Turkey announces weekend lockdown and curfew measures due to surge in covid cases

On Monday, Turkey's president Recep Erdogan announced a nationwide lockdown due to a surge in the coronavirus cases, extending out curfews to weeknights and setting up a full lockdown over the weekends.

The daily death toll rose to a record high of 196 on Saturday, bringing the total to 14,705 since the outbreak of the pandemic.

Turkey recorded 31,896 new covid cases on Saturday, including asymptomatic ones, dropping from Friday's 32,736, the most number of cases reported in Ankara since the start of the disease in March. 

Turkey's economy shrank 9.9% year-on-year in the subsequent quarter due to the Covid protocols. It bounced back in the second from last quarter; developing 6.7% following the lockdown was lifted. Financial experts anticipate that the new protocols should have a lesser impact on growth in the final quarter than they did in the second quarter. 

On Saturday in the biggest city Istanbul, the capital Ankara and the third-biggest city Izmir showed empty streets on Turkish television. Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu stated that a great many people were complying with the lockdown rules, Anadolu reported. 

Presently, Turkey positions fourth globally in daily Covid-19 cases, behind the United States, Brazil, and India, all nations with far bigger populaces than Turkey. 

In May, Turkey had imposed an entire weekend lockdown in large cities, however, the measures failed to end the surge in new cases or deaths. 

President Tayyip Erdogan announced a complete weekend lockdown and curfew on Monday. The measures against the Covid-19 were being dealt with to limit the influence on the economy, he added. 

The Turkish Medical Association, which has called for more transparency from the government authorities since March, stated that 20 medical care workers died due to coronavirus.

Turkey has marked an agreement to purchase 50 million doses of coronavirus vaccine from China's Sinovac Biotech Ltd. It is anticipated to start immunizations this month, especially prioritizing frontline workers. 

Government ordered to close Turkish baths, saunas, Preschools, parlors, pools, and theme parks. Cafés would simply have the option to deliver food, evoking a past measure that additionally permitted takeaway services. Erdogan likewise requested citizens to avoid smoking, open their windows, maintain social distancing, and wear facial masks.