Turkey on Friday announced several strong new measures to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, a pandemic which has killed thousands of people worldwide.
Turkey imposed a partial curfew for citizens under the age of 20, effective as of midnight on Friday as part of measures against the coronavirus outbreak, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in a statement.
Ankara also decided to shut down borders of 31 cities for vehicles, excluding essential supplies, to contain the outbreak, Erdoğan said, adding that mask usage will be obligatory in crowded places.
In March, Turkey ordered elderly citizens, over 65, and those with chronic diseases to stay at home.
So far, Turkey has registered over 20,000 coronavirus cases, and the death toll stands at 425. A total of 484 people have fully recovered following treatment.
Since appearing in Wuhan, China, last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 181 countries and regions.
Data compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University shows worldwide infections surging past 1 million, with almost 57,000 deaths. Over 223,000 people have recovered.
