Turkey lifts COVID mask mandate except for in hospitals

Imposed to prevent the spread of coronavirus during the pandemic, Turkey on Sunday removed the mandatory mask wearing except for in hospitals, as the number of COVID-19 cases has been reported below 1,000 for three days in a row.

"Masks are no longer mandatory, except for in hospitals. But after all this experience, we can keep our masks with us in crowded closed places, especially in public transportation," Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Twitter.

Turkey has recorded less than 1,000 coronavirus cases for the last three days, Koca said.

The country lifted its longtime indoor mask mandate last month, except for public transportation and in hospitals.

Turkey registered 864 new coronavirus infections over the past day, according to official data released on Sunday.

The Health Ministry said two related deaths and 1,107 recoveries were also recorded, while 129,961 tests were done.

To stem the spread of the virus, Turkey has administered more than 147.72 million vaccine doses since it launched an immunization drive in January 2021.

More than 528 million COVID-19 cases and over 6.28 million deaths have been reported in at least 192 countries and regions since December 2019, according to the US' Johns Hopkins University.