Istanbul, Ankara see lowest rise in coronavirus cases in a week, says health minister

Turkey’s death toll from the coronavirus rose by 23 as the country registered 1,214 new cases on June 19. Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said that the country's biggest cities, Istanbul and Ankara, registered their lowest number of daily virus cases in the past week.

Friday June 19 2020 08:27 pm

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Turkey’s death toll from the novel coronavirus rose by 23 to total 4,905 and new confirmed cases rose by 1,214 to bring the country’s total to 185,245, Health Ministry data showed on June 19.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca wrote on Twitter that Istanbul and the capital Ankara recorded their lowest new daily virus infection in a week. "The number of new cases all across Turkey is continuing to decrease. The number of recovering patients is above the number of new cases, as yesterday," he wrote.

İSTANBUL ve ANKARA, son bir haftanın en düşük vaka sayısı başarısını gösterdi. Ülke genelinde yeni vaka sayısı azalmaya devam ediyor. İyileşen vaka sayımız dün olduğu gibi bugün de yeni vaka sayısının üstünde. Tedbir, karşılıklı olursa sonuç veriyor. https://t.co/RVlhe7786O pic.twitter.com/s2DDshflFN
— Dr. Fahrettin Koca (@drfahrettinkoca) June 19, 2020

Not wearing face mask faces 900 liras fine

On June 17, Istanbul and Ankara joined dozens of other provinces in which the wearing of face masks has become mandatory in all public areas, including outside.

State-run Anadolu Agency said on June 19 that the fine of not wearing masks will be 900 Turkish Liras ($131), citing a circular issued by the Interior Ministry. The implementation of the administrative fine will take effect on June 22.

The new measures came after Turkey in the past week saw an upward trend in the daily number of virus infections.

On June 1, the government authorized cafes, restaurants, gyms, parks, beaches and museums to reopen, lifted inter-city travel restrictions and eased stay-at-home orders for the elderly and young.