The number of Turkey’s COVID-19 cases remains at the “anticipated level,” while the number of patients who need respiratory support continues to drop, according to Turkey’s top health authority on Sunday.
Turkey reported a total of 839 new cases, bringing the infection tally to 163,942, Koca added.
The death toll from pandemic rose to 4,540 as the country reported 25 new fatalities in the last 24 hours, according to the data from the Health Ministry. A total of 648 patients are being treated in intensive care due to COVID-19, the figures showed. Koca reiterated the importance of hand hygiene, wearing masks and keeping social distance.
Despite the drop in new cases, new clusters of contagion pop up across Turkey in provinces such as Diyarbakir, Ordu, Rize, Manisa, Gaziantep and Van. Most of these clusters are attributed to visitors from metropolitan centers, after inter-city travel restrions were relaxed for some.
Nevertheless, President Tayyip Erdogan announced that the inter-city travel restrictions and the closure of businesses such as restaurants and cafes due to the coronavirus epidemic, will be terminated as of June 1.
Turkish Medical Association President Dr. Sinan Adiyaman: Too early to ease restrictions
Prof Adiyaman objected to the lifting of travel restrictions, stating that the epidemic continued in Turkey, and acting “as if nothing is happening” will turn “everything back to square one.”
The guest of ‘Midday’ TV new show by Zeynel Lüle, was the President of the Turkish Medical Association Prof. Dr. Sinan Adıyaman. The World Health Organization announced that, the cumulative number of cases in the last 14 days in Europe has recorded the highest increase among the five countries, including Turkey. Turkish Medical Association President Dr. Sinan Adiyaman said that the epidemic continued in Turkey, and evaluated the picture that would come out as a result of relaxing restrictions too soon.
Professor Dr. Adıyaman said, “They will carry this virus from Istanbul to all provinces.” Adıyaman especially noted:
“Are there no patients left in Istanbul? Where are these 1182 new cases? We know that 80 percent of those who carry the disease have no symptoms. You opened the transportation to all provinces from Istanbul. In a way, you are inviting the virus to travel along! For instance, people over the age of 65 stay home, but with strange exceptions. Business owners over 65 are free to roll out to the streets. Even this exception shows what the priority is. Preserving public health has taken the back seat to protection of economic interests.”
“There are such announcements that as if this is over, no risk left. We think it is early.”
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