ISTANBUL, Aug 6 (NNN-ANADOLU) – Turkey tightened measures against the COVID-19 pandemic across the country, as of yesterday, after daily new cases surpassed the threshold of 1,000 for the first time in weeks.
The Interior Ministry pointed out at a notice, sent to all the governors’ offices in 81 provinces across the country, that inspections would mostly focus on quarantine conditions, social distancing and wearing masks.
It said, local authorities would strictly follow those under quarantine at home, to see whether the isolation conditions are met.
Measures in celebrations, such as weddings and engagement parties, have also been tightened, to curb the fast spreading of the virus, the notice said, adding, funerals and other large gatherings would also be controlled.
The Central Anatolian Kirikkale, meanwhile, became a pilot province in adopting a new model in the fight against the virus.
A surveillance team of 100 people will control all the COVID-19 related measures across the city, and a new call centre will also investigate complaints about citizens violating the rules, it said.
The country’s confirmed daily cases increased by 1,083, taking the number of total infections to 234,934, Health Minister, Fahrettin Koca, announced.
The total death toll, meanwhile, reached 5,765, with 18 more died during the last 24 hours, according to the ministry’s data.
The number of new daily cases in Turkey’s biggest city, Istanbul, which accounted for 45 percent of all the infected cases, reached 134 on Monday, up from 132 the previous day, the ministry also revealed in a report.
Istanbul police teams conducted a series of inspections on Tuesday night, on boats rented for parties and celebrations, on the Bosphorus Strait, press reports said.
Several boat owners and organisers were fined for violating the COVID-19 rules, which include obeying social distancing.– NNN-ANADOLU