COVID-19 in Turkey: 5 cities partially quarantined in a day

* Photo: Emin Tezerdi - Erzurum / AA

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Amid an increasing number of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases across Turkey, partial quarantines have been imposed in the provinces of Kars, Kastamonu, Bilecik and Balıkesir in the last 24 hours.

After a producer who attended a tender bid for an estate in the Municipality of İpsala in Turkey's northwestern province of Edirne on November 9 tested positive, 23 people, including Mayor Abdullah Naci Ünsal and four municipal council members, have been quarantined as a precaution.

'Recently increasing numbers of cases'

The Governor's Office of Kars has announced that Küçükyusuf village in Kars center, Başköy village in Digor district and Erdağı village in Susuz district have been quarantined. Entries and exits are not allowed. 

In the village of Ortaburun in the district of Doğanyurt in Kastamonu province, a COVID-19 quarantine has also been in effect due to the recently increasing numbers of cases in the area.

Three villages in Yenipazar district in Bilecik and one neighborhood in Altıeylül district in Balıkesir have also been placed in quarantine.

Fines are imposed

In Turkey's eastern province of Erzurum, 15 citizens who did not comply with the quarantine rules have been fined 13 thousand 500 lira (~1,760 USD) in the district of Oltu. While 25 people have been fined 42 thousand 750 lira in Kastamonu for the same reason, 665 people have faced a criminal action for failing to observe social distance and mask rules in Antep province.

In Bartın, the use of a bracelet with barcode has been introduced to decrease the infection risk. The Governor's Office of Kırıkkale has established a "positive and contact patients hotline". (AS/SD)