Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday announced further easing of the restrictions against the COVID-19 pandemic as the country has entered a normalization process.
During a press conference, Erdogan said, “It is a fact that we have survived with the least loss of lives, restrictions, and economic difficulties compared to Europe”.
President Erdogan further said, “I want to remind you of the fact that we need to organize our lives with masks, distance and hygiene until the root (of the virus) is scraped”.
Turkish citizens aged 65 and older were permitted to go outdoors every day while the curfew for those under the age of 18 has been lifted, according to the president.
Marriage halls will open on June 15, while cinemas, theaters and wedding halls on July 1.
Earlier this month, Turkey resumed domestic flights as part of measures towards normalization amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Turkey’s first lockdown was imposed at the weekend on April 11-12, followed by the second on April 18-19, and lastly, four days of curfew on April 23-26.
Last month, the government had decided to further ease restrictions over the COVID-19 pandemic after infection cases were reported to have dropped over the past weeks.
Taking to Twitter, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said that the novel coronavirus cases in Turkey increased by 993 to 172,114 in the past 24 hours.
Meanwhile, 18 more people died, taking the death toll to 4,729, while 3,218 patients have recovered, raising the total recoveries to 144,598, Koca further posted.
A total of 642 patients are being treated in intensive care units, and 281 intubated, he added.
Turkey reported the first COVID-19 case on March 11 and started normalization from June 1.