Erdoğan marks Ramadan Bayram, urges social distancing amid COVID-19 pandemic

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan marked the upcoming Ramadan Bayram, also known as Eid al-Fitr, on Saturday, while urging compliance with the rules of social distancing and hygiene as the coronavirus pandemic continues.

"I congratulate the blessed Eid al-Fitr," he said. "We all would love to be with our loved ones during such a time of festivity, like the previous years. Nevertheless, we will all have to spend this year's Eid at home due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has affected the globe," Erdoğan added.

Turkey on Saturday was already in the midst of a four-day nationwide lockdown during the holiday, which marks the end of Ramadan in the Islamic faith, between May 23-26 as part of measures against the coronavirus pandemic

"If we all abide by the rules of wearing masks, social distancing and hygiene, we will be sure to have left this period behind with success," he concluded.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Turkey rose to 154,500 on Friday with 952 new infections reported over the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry announced.

Meanwhile, the daily death toll fell to 27 bringing the total number of fatalities since March to 4,276.

In the last 24 hours, 37,507 tests have been carried out, with the total number of tests reaching 1,767,495.

Some 1,121 people have recovered from the virus in the last 24 hours, while 800 patients remain in intensive care units.

Last week, Turkey reopened barbershops, beauty salons and shopping malls as COVID-19 deaths and infections show a steady decline and recoveries rise.