Turkey could return to business as usual after the end of Ramadan in late May, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, as the number of coronavirus cases in the country neared 100,000, the Al-Monitor news website reported.
“We aim to ensure the highest level of compliance with the measures throughout the month of Ramadan, and hopefully, the transition of our country to normal life after Eid,” he said during a video meeting of party officials Tuesday.
Erdoğan said the difference between Turkey and “other countries is that we have both a strong health infrastructure and take the necessary precautions over time.” He said Turkey was facing its biggest economic crisis since World War II.
Turkish health officials have reported 98,674 confirmed coronavirus cases in the country, with a death toll of 2,376. The number puts Turkey ahead of China, which previously had the most confirmed COVID-19 cases outside of Europe and the United States.