Skip to main content

Turkey says rate of coronavirus infection stabilizes

The health minister sees signs the fast-spreading contagion is coming under control as the number of new cases remains steady. But an independent physicians’ group warns the government may be undercounting.
Medical staff members applaud patients who are leaving from the Dicle University Hospital after recovering from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Diyarbakir, Turkey, April 15, 2020. REUTERS/Sertac Kayar - RC235G92Y92U

ISTANBUL — Turkey’s health minister said the coronavirus infection rate was stabilizing, showing the fast-spreading contagion may be under relative control, while the head of an independent medical group said the scale of the outbreak remained unclear because a majority of virus-related deaths were not being counted.

Turkey experienced its deadliest day so far after 115 people died, pushing the death toll to 1,518, according to a post on Twitter by Health Minister Fahrettin Koca. There were 4,281 new cases, which is roughly in line with or even slightly fewer than the daily cases confirmed since April 8, even as testing has nearly doubled over the week. Total cases now stand at 69,392.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.