Turkey plans to extend a two-day curfew on weekends for 31 provinces to four days this week as part of measures in the fight against the coronavirus, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said late on Monday, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency.
Starting on Thursday, April 23, a public holiday commemorating the foundation of the Turkish parliament, Turkey will impose a curfew in 31 provinces to contain the spread of the virus.
The curfew will end at midnight on April 26.
Turkey observes National Sovereignty and Children’s Day on April 23 of every year. This year marks the centennial of the parliament.
Erdoğan said bakeries, water sellers and news vendors will continue operating during the curfew.
“We will continue to impose weekend curfews for some time without disrupting food production and distribution chains and healthcare services as well as basic production activities,” he said.
Erdoğan said the aim was to impose measures as carefully as possible and to suppress the epidemic in Turkey to a level that will allow a return to normal life after Eid, which follows the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
On Monday the coronavirus death toll in Turkey reached 2,140, with 90,980 confirmed cases.