Burak Bir
20 April 2021•Update: 20 April 2021
ANKARA
The rise in COVID-19 cases in Turkey is slowing down, said the nation’s health minister on Tuesday.
"The rate of increase in the number of cases has fallen,” said Fahrettin Koca on Twitter, adding that the number of cases will fall further with public safety measures such as social distancing, wearing masks, and proper hygiene.
Koca also announced the cities in Turkey which saw the largest rises or falls in the number of COVID-19 cases over the last week.
The cities where the number of cases per 100,000 people fell the most are Kirklareli (northwestern Turkey), Kilis and Adiyaman (southeastern), Samsun (Black Sea region), and Osmaniye (southern).
The cities of Zonguldak, Duzce (Black Sea), Yozgat (central), and Yalova, Canakkale (northwestern) saw the highest rises, he added.
On Jan. 14, Turkey began a mass COVID-vaccination campaign, starting with healthcare workers.
Starting last Wednesday, special virus measures are in effect for the first two weeks of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
The weekday curfew now lasts from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., during which inter-city travel will also be banned, except in emergency cases. Weekend curfews are also continuing in high-risk cities.
Cafes and restaurants will only provide delivery and takeout services, while wedding halls, sports centers, and game halls will remain closed until the end of Ramadan.
Since it originated in China in December 2019, the pandemic has claimed over 3 million lives in 192 countries and regions.
More than 142 million cases have been reported worldwide, according to figures compiled by the US' Johns Hopkins University.
The US, India, and Brazil remain the worst-hit countries in terms of cases.
