Turkey’s health minister on Wednesday announced that the number of daily COVID-19 cases in the country has risen to 28,224, the highest mark since May, Deutsche Welle Turkish service reported.
Health Minister Fahrettin Koca indicated that 248 people have died of COVID since May, with people who are not vaccinated or not fully vaccinated comprising the greatest number of deaths.
“We are going through a period in which people are very mobile and in close contact with each other. In the face of new cases going above the 28,000 mark, we all have to comply with preventive measures and get fully vaccinated,” Koca tweeted.
Turkey has administered over 103 million vaccinations since launching a campaign in January. To date, 52.2 million people have received their first doses, while more than 41.2 million have received two shots, with 9.6 million getting three shots, according to the ministry.
Koca said in a statement that the number of deaths would have been higher had it not been for the vaccine.
He also noted that COVID-19 tests would be conducted at schools with the approval of parents.
Risks for pregnant women
Ankara Provincial Health Director Ahmet Zülfikar Akelma announced that 12 pregnant women have died of COVID-19 in Ankara in 2021, all of them unvaccinated.
“We have observed that some pregnant women are vaccine hesitant,” Akelma said. “There are no concerns about the vaccination of pregnant women. We have sufficient scientific data at hand.”
Noting that some pregnant women may be concerned about the effects of vaccines on their babies, Akelma said: “The vaccination has no harmful effects on the unborn baby. Rather, pregnant women develop antibodies upon getting vaccinated, and these antibodies can be transferred to the baby, offering protection beforehand.”