President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that Turkey was imposing a partial curfew on people under the age of 20 effective from midnight on Friday as part of measures against the coronavirus outbreak, according to Reuters.
Turkey also decided to shut down the borders of 31 cities, including İstanbul, for all vehicles, excluding transit passage and essential supplies such as food, medical and sanitary products, to contain the disease, Erdoğan said.
Turkey’s death toll from the outbreak rose to 425 on Friday, while the number of confirmed cases from the disease rose to over 20,000, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said.
“We have decided to put a partial curfew into effect for people under the age of 20 as of midnight Friday,” Erdoğan said.
“The shutdown of city borders will be in effect for 15 days initially; however, this period can be extended if necessary,” Erdoğan told a news conference.
Mask usage in crowded public places, on public transportation and in grocery stores and workplaces will be obligatory, he also said.
Ankara has halted all international flights, limited domestic travel, closed schools, bars and cafes and suspended community prayers to counter the outbreak. But people are still going to work, as Erdoğan seeks to sustain economic production and exports.
In late March, Turkey ordered citizens over 65 and those with chronic diseases to stay at home.