COVID-19 breaks records in Turkey as health experts call for tighter controls

New daily COVID-19 rates hit record highs four days in a row in Turkey, prompting local health officials to call for more stringent social distancing measures.
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - MARCH 18: An employee from Istanbul Municipality disinfects the Taksim Republic Statue in Taksim square to prevent the spread of the COVID-19, coronavirus on March 18, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey. Turkey has confirmed one death and ninety eight positive cases of the coronavirus and officials continue to implement steps to contain the spread of the virus with the Interior Ministry announcing cafes, cinemas, restaurants, shish-a cafes, bars and gyms will close adding to schools, universities
An Istanbul Municipality employee disinfects the Taksim Republic Statue in Taksim Square to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on March 18, 2020, in Istanbul, Turkey. - Chris McGrath/Getty Images
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Diego Cupolo
@diegocupolo

ISTANBUL ­— Turkish health officials reported a record number of new COVID-19 cases for a fourth day in a row Tuesday as medical experts warn tighter measures will be required to curb rising infection rates.

According to the Health Ministry, which since July has reported only symptomatic patient numbers, Turkey saw 7,381 new cases and 161 virus-linked deaths Tuesday, the highest daily rates since the nation’s first confirmed COVID-19 case in March. The figures represent a rapid increase in new daily case numbers, which stood at 3,819 a week earlier.

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