Coronavirus: Turkey’s COVID-19 death toll hits highest level since May

The daily number of deaths in Turkey due to coronavirus rose to 36 on Friday, its highest level since mid-May, while the number of daily new cases again rose above 1,500, according to Health Ministry data.

This week the level of new daily cases has risen to levels last seen in mid-June, prompting the government to impose measures to combat the spread of the pandemic.

The Health Ministry figures showed a total of 1,517 new cases on Friday, bringing the total number of cases to 265,515.

The daily death toll was the highest since May 17, when it stood at 44. The total death toll in Turkey stands at 6,245.

Responding to this week’s surge in numbers, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced that all state institutions may now implement “flexible working methods” while the Interior Ministry said it was banning certain events and celebrations.

Fatih Municipality workers in protective suits disinfect Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque on the eve of the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Istanbul, Turkey, July 30, 2020. (Reuters)

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