Virus cases rising significantly, particularly in Istanbul, says Turkish health minister

ANKARA

There has been a significant increase in the number of coronavirus cases across the country, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has said, singling out particularly Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city.

“We managed to take the outbreak under control during the first wave of the outbreak between March and May. However, in recent months, we have witnessed a substantial increase in the number of cases and deaths, a trend reflected globally,” Koca said in a statement issued following a meeting of the Health Ministry’s Science Board on Nov. 16.

Koca recently said Istanbul accounted for 40 percent of all COVID-19 case recorded in the country.

At the board meeting, they discussed possible restrictive measures by taking into account the fact that the main cause of the spread was people moving around and being in crowded spaces, the minister said, adding that people increasingly spent time in indoor places as winter months came.

“The board also specifically discussed provinces where the level of transmission is high. The rising cases in many provinces put pressure on health institutions,” Koca said in the statement.

He underlined that the number of COVID-19 patients in critical condition exceeded 3,600.