More Turkish villages put under quarantine

VAN/YOZGAT

The number of cities that declared quarantine for villages and other residential areas are increasing by the day, reaching at least 18 provinces across Turkey in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 100 people in the country.

A total of 39 residential areas, including 28 villages, six neighborhoods, four hamlets and a town in those provinces are now under quarantine, the Interior Ministry has announced.

Quarantine imposed on those residential areas is a precautionary measure aimed at preventing the spread of the virus, the ministry said.

On March 30, at least one village in the eastern province of Tunceli and two villages in the northeastern province of Bayburt have been placed under quarantine.

Also, on March 30, officials in the Central Anatolian province of Çankırı and the eastern province of Van, near the Iranian border, issued quarantine orders for more villages. Several villages had already been put under quarantine in Çankırı and Van.

In the eastern province of Kars, exits and entrances to three villages and a neighborhood were banned as part of the measures against the virus.

Several provinces in different parts of the country, including Malatya, Kütahya, Yozgat, Giresun, Sivas, Gümüşhane and Rize have already placed a number of residential areas under quarantine.

Over the weekend, also the Yukarıkarahacılı village in the Çekerek district of the Central Anatolian province of Yozgat has been put under quarantine.

Security units set up checkpoints and do not people enter or leave the village.

On March 29, the northern province of Gümüşhane also put Yukarı Kulaca village of the Şiran district under quarantine, while the northeastern province of Artvin announced quarantine for the Camili village in the district of Borçka.

On March 27, the local health directorate said a district and its four surrounding villages were put under quarantine in the Black Sea province of Rize.