Turkey

ANKARA, Apr 1 (NNN-XINHUA) – The Turkish government is working on a bill, that would release tens of thousands of inmates from prisons, amid fears that the COVID-19 pandemic will carve a deadly path through cramped penitentiaries among prisoners and staff.

A first version of the draft, which caused outrage, reportedly included the release of sex offenders, domestic abusers and drug related prisoners.

However, Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, “categorically ruled out such a measure” during a cabinet meeting, daily Sabah reported.

ISTANBUL, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday said a total of 39 locations across the country are put under quarantine due to the rising number of confirmed cases for COVID-19.

"Currently, 39 villages and neighborhoods across the country are under quarantine," Erdogan said at a televised address to the nation.

He once again urged Turkish people to perform personal quarantines to help curb the fast-growing spread of the virus.

29 Mar 2020; MEMO: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan replaced Transport Minister Mehmet Cahit Turhan in an overnight decree on Saturday, as the country battles a fast-growing coronavirus outbreak that has so far killed 92 people in just over two weeks, Reuters reports.

ANKARA, Mar 29 (NNN-ANADOLU) – In the past 24 hours in Turkey, 16 more people lost their lives, due to COVID-19, raising the death toll to 108, Turkish Health Minister, Fahrettin Koca, said, on Saturday Night.

The total number of COVID-19 cases rose to 7,402 in Turkey, the minister tweeted.

A total of 7,641 tests were performed on Saturday, and 1,704 were diagnosed, he added.

Turkey reported the first COVID-19 case in the country on Mar 11.

28 Mar 2020; MEMO: Turkey’s interior minister on Friday said 5,800 asylum seekers near the Greek border have been evacuated as part of measures to curb the spread of coronavirus.

In an interview with Turkish news channel NTV, Suleyman Soylu said: “After the risk of contamination passes, we won’t say no to anyone who wants to go back to the Pazarkule border gate.”

Soylu said that those asylum seekers are being hosted in repatriation centers in nine provinces.

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish Transport Minister Mehmet Cahit Turhan has been removed from his post by President Tayyip Erdogan, according to a decree published on the Official Gazette early on Saturday.

Adil Karaismailoglu has been appointed as the new minister, the decree said. It did not provide a reason for the change or any further details. A spokesman for the ministry confirmed the move, but did not provide details.

Turhan, a former head of Turkey’s Railroads Directorate and chief adviser to the president, was appointed minister by Erdogan on in July 2018.

ANKARA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced 2,069 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, bringing the total number of infections to 5,698 in the country.

In addition, 17 deaths from the coronavirus were reported on Friday, bringing the total number of deaths to 92, Koca said at a press conference.

A total of 7,533 tests were conducted on Friday on suspected cases, he added, highlighting the need for further measures against the pandemic.

ISTANBUL, Mar 28 (NNN-ANADOLU) — Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that, all international flights would be cancelled, as part of the fight against COVID-19.

Announcing new measures against the spread of the outbreak during a televised live broadcast, Erdogan also noted that, inter-city travel across the country would be subject to the permission of governors in each province.

“A flexible working system will be implemented with minimum personnel both in private and public sectors,” Erdogan said.

ANKARA, March 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Turkey confirmed 16 more deaths from the novel coronavirus late on Thursday, bringing the total number of fatalities to 75.

A total of 7,286 coronavirus tests have been conducted on Thursday on people suspected of contracting the virus, and 1,196 tested positive, bringing the tally of infections to 3,629, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Twitter.

The minister said that the patients and their contact circles have been isolated.

26 Mar 2020; MEMO: Turkey is to help Tunisia in its battle against the coronavirus outbreak, a senior official of Ennahda Movement revealed on Wednesday.

The Head of the Political Bureau of the Islamist movement, Noureddine Al-Arbawi, told Arabi21.com that Ennahda leader Rachid Al-Ghannouchi spoke with the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to agree on the assistance. Al-Arbawi pointed out that Turkey’s help will be coordinated by the ministers of health of both countries.