Turkey ramps up anti-virus measures, chases quarantine violators

ISTANBUL

Turkey has been cracking down on people flouting anti-COVID-19 measures across the country, fining violators and confining them to mandatory quarantine in student dormitories.

Those who violate home-based self-isolation measures, despite warnings, have begun being placed under mandatory quarantine in dormitories.

The move came after coronavirus cases in Turkey have seen a rapid increase and authorities have determined some patients ignoring self-isolation rules, attending crowded social events.

Police teams in several provinces detected people who were diagnosed with COVID-19 and supposed to be in home-based self-isolation, but continuing their daily life in the public sphere.

Six people who were found to not comply with self-isolation rules were fined and immediately placed in dormitories.

Fourteen-day mandatory quarantine fees will be collected from violators, but the prices are expected to differ in each province.

The Kocaeli Governor’s Office has announced that the daily fee of the mandatory quarantine in dormitories is 80 liras ($10.50). Personal hygiene items such as toothbrush and soap will also be sold at an extra fee of 25 liras ($3.50).

‘All’ entertainment venues to be closed

Separately, the Interior Ministry has sent a circular to the governor’s offices of all 81 provinces in the country regarding the activities of “public recreation and entertainment places.”

The ministry said that some entertainment places such as bars, pubs, taverns and nightclubs applied to the municipality or special provincial administration and changed their field of businesses as cafes and restaurants to continue their former activities.

Entertainment places that continue their former activities despite the circular will be closed.