Turkey has confirmed 119 more fatalities from the novel coronavirus over the past 24 hours, bringing the toll to 2,259.
The total number of registered coronavirus cases rose to 95,591, as 4,611 more people tested positive for the virus, the Health Ministry said on Twitter on Tuesday.
So far, a total of 14,918 patients have been discharged from hospitals after recovering from the virus, with 1,488 discharged on Tuesday alone, the ministry added.
A total of 39,429 tests were conducted over the past 24 hours, with the total reaching 713,409.
READ: Turkey’s coronavirus death toll rises to 2,259 as cases near 100,000
Next two weeks crucial in virus fight
Members of the country’s Science Board are stressing that cases probably have not yet peaked, and the next 15 days will be crucial in the fight against the outbreak.
The number of confirmed cases and death rates are relatively lower compared with other nations and this is an advantage, said Professor Tevfik Özlü from the board, adding, “however, we are at a very fragile moment. We have not yet taken the pandemic under control.”
He noted that the virus cases are still rising.
“We cannot say we have seen the peak. We need at least 15 more days to make this conclusion,” Özlü told daily Hürriyet.
“When the decline in cases shows some consistency then we can talk about the outbreak plateauing.”
He warned that restrictions should remain in place even after the peak.
READ: Next two weeks crucial in virus fight: Scientists
Turkish hospital makes face shields for newborns
A Turkish hospital has produced face shields for newborn babies in order to protect them from coronavirus.
“The immune system of newborns is not fully developed. In order to protect them, we made face shields for them to protect them from droplet contamination,” said Yaprak Ustun, the director of University of Health Sciences Etlik Zubeyde Hanim Women Diseases Training and Research Hospital.
The doctor went on to say that washing hands before holding the baby is crucial.
Turkey introduces new Covid-19 measures for Ramadan
Turkey’s Interior Ministry on Wednesday announced new Covid-19 measures for the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
Events, as well as tents where people gather to break their fast, will not be allowed.
The ministry said all necessary precautions will be taken when the fast begins in the morning and when the fast ends in the evening to maintain social distancing outdoors.
The selling time of Ramazan pide, a traditional round and flat bread generally consumed during the fasting month, will be terminated two hours before the end of fast in order to prevent crowds from gathering at bakeries.
Social distancing will also be enforced among visitors to cemeteries on the eve of and during Eid al Fitr, the holiday that marks the end of the fasting month, with officials taking temperatures at the entrance.
READ: https://www.trtworld.com/turkey/turkey-introduces-new-covid-19-measures-for-ramadan-35641
Global statistics
There are now 2,585,358 confirmed cases of COVID-19 globally, of which 705,731 have recovered. The number of fatalities stands at 179,854.
Source: Worldometer.
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The post COVID-19 daily round up – Wednesday 22 April 2020 appeared first on Fethiye Times.