Turkey Restricts Entrance, Exit to 31 Cities, Mandates Face Masks over Covid-19

Photo: AA

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Turkey has put a 15-day ban on exit and entrance of vehicles for 31 provinces to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated today (April 4).

In a press conference in the capital Ankara, the President announced further measures against the pandemic, including restrictions on going out and intercity travels.

Earlier, Health Minister said in a press conference that the measures were not enough, especially for İstanbul, the largest and the most affected city from the pandemic, where he said one infected person transmitted virus to 16 people on average. He suggested that the time spent outside must be restricted.

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The banned cities include 30 cities with a higher population, which are called "metropolitan cities" in the country's local government sytem. Zonguldak, a northern province where respiratory diseases are common, was also included in the ban, Erdoğan said. The Ministry of Interior previously banned intercity bus travels and set up checkpoints on entries of cities.

Erdoğan further said that a curfew has been imposed for people younger than 20 years of age. Minister Koca had said that the mobility of young peple was "one of our weakest points." The government banned people older than 65 from going out on March 21.

People will have to wear face masks in crowded areas such as marketplaces and grocery stores, according to Erdoğan's statement.

Turkey's death toll from the pandemic reached 425 today and the total number of the cases exceeded 20 thousand.

(EKN/VK)