The number of new coronavirus cases in Turkey rose above 1,000 in the last 24 hours for the first time since May 29, Health Ministry data showed on Friday, after the easing of travel restrictions and reopening of public facilities at the start of last week.
The data showed 1,195 new cases were identified, up from a low of 786 last Tuesday, and 15 people died in the last 24 hours. The total number of cases rose to 175,218. Daily infections stood above 5,000 on April 11.
Turkey’s top medical association criticized the decision to ease restrictions imposed to combat the spread of the coronavirus, saying moves were not backed by science and had come too soon, before the country had overcome the pandemic’s initial wave.
Since June 1, Turkey has lifted weekend stay-home orders, ended curbs on intercity travel, resumed some international flights and reopened cafes, restaurants, parks, beaches and gyms.
The government has urged the public to remain cautious, while characterizing the handling of the outbreak as a success.
Cavit Isik Yavuz, a member of the coronavirus research team at the Turkish Medics Association’s (TTB), said there was still no proof that the outbreak was under control, and warned the lifting restrictions was resulting in more infections.
“At times, there is talk of when the second wave will hit, but we have not yet been able to overcome the first wave,” Yavuz told an online press conference.
“The early reopening decisions that are not based on scientific facts, especially since June 1, have caused a rise in case numbers and the number of patients receiving treatment in ICUs and needing respirators.”
On Wednesday, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said there had been a rise in daily cases in certain provinces, but said this had stabilized. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also warned of an uptick last week even as he revoked the weekend lockdown, citing a public backlash.
“We are looking for a scientific basis for nearly all the measures that are being eased, but we cannot find any,” Yavuz said. “We find it odd that in a pandemic where we lost nearly 5,000 citizens, there is an effort to find a success story.”
