Turkey Reports Record Daily COVID-19 Cases

The latest peak came on Thursday after cases surged since the government eased measures to curb the pandemic across the country in early March.

The total number of cases stands at more than 3.3 million. The latest daily death toll was 176, bringing the cumulative toll to 31,713.

On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced a tightening of measures, including the return of full nationwide weekend lockdowns for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which starts on April 13.

A vast majority of the country’s 81 provinces have been in the “red” or “very high-risk” zone, including the cultural and economic hub of Istanbul and Ankara, Al Jazeera reported.

Communal meals during Ramadan have been prohibited for the second year running.

Mass gatherings in tents and other places for the pre-dawn and after-dusk meals will not be allowed.

A nationwide inoculation campaign using China’s Sinovac vaccine began in Turkey on January 14.

More than 15 million doses have since been administered.