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Turkey expands quarantine to towns across country to fight coronavirus

Dozens of towns, villages and neighborhoods are under strict stay-at-home orders as COVID-19 disease took 37 more lives today.
Municipality workers in protective suits disinfect Kugulu Park due to coronavirus concerns, in Ankara, Turkey, March 17, 2020. REUTERS/Cagla Durak - RC2PLF9CTCLL

ISTANBUL — Turkey has imposed quarantines on residential areas in 18 provinces across the country as it grapples with the spread of the novel coronavirus. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Turks to stay at home to bring a quick end to the outbreak that has claimed 168 lives, but also said the nation could not afford to fully halt economic activity.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Twitter today that 37 people died of COVID-19 and 1,610 people were diagnosed with the illness over the past 24 hours. The country now has 10,827 confirmed cases of the illness.

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