Doctors warn Turkish outbreak 'out of control' as COVID-19 cases pass 250,000
The government says inspections of businesses will be increased to ensure enforcement rules on masks and physical distancing as the country battles more than 1,000 new cases a day.
ISTANBUL — Turkish medical professionals are worried Turkey may lose control of the coronavirus outbreak as the country passed the grim milestone of a quarter million cases this week.
Official figures showed 1,263 more people were diagnosed with COVID-19 on Tuesday, bringing the total number of cases to 251,805 since the novel coronavirus reached Turkey in March. New daily cases have been above 1,000 every day since Aug. 4. They were last at these levels at the end of June.
Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Monday most of the new cases were “easily treatable but the number of those who are seriously ill for whom treatment is difficult is rising.”
Turkey ended a partial lockdown at the beginning of June in an effort to kickstart economic activity. On Tuesday, the Interior Ministry said it would step up inspections of businesses, transportation, beaches, wedding halls and other facilities to make sure they are complying with rules on hygiene, mask-wearing and physical distancing.
