Turkish coronavirus cases surge past Iran, then China
The number of coronavirus cases in Turkey rose to 86,306 on Tuesday, overtaking China only a day after it overtook Iran, Arab News reported.
Turkey reported its first coronavirus patient as recently as March 10.
It now has the highest total outside Europe and the US, and is the worst-affected country in the Middle East and the seventh-worst in the world.
Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said 127 more people had died, taking the death toll to 2,017.
Last weekend 31 cities including the capital Ankara and Istanbul were under lockdown for a second time, after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said all-day weekend curfews would continue as long as they were necessary.
The first curfew was introduced at two hours’ notice, prompting widespread anger.
Related news
- Turkey’s coronavirus death toll rises to 1,403
- Turkey's coronavirus cases surge past 30,000
- Turkey suspends all int’l flights amid coronavirus outbreak