Turkey imposes two-day lockdown in all major cities from midnight

Turkey is imposing a two-day lockdown in 31 provinces -- including Istanbul, Ankara and other major cities -- in response to the spread of COVID-19, the Interior Ministry said on Friday.

It said the curbs would begin at midnight and end at the same time on Sunday. Turkey earlier announced its death toll from the novel coronavirus had risen to 1,006.

The curfew is ordered in the capital Ankara, Adana, Antalya, Aydın, Balıkesir, Bursa, Denizli, Diyarbakır, Erzurum, Eskişehir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Istanbul, Izmir, Kahramanmaraş, Kayseri, Kocaeli, Konya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mersin, Muğla, Ordu, Sakarya, Samsun, Şanlıurfa, Tekirdağ, Trabzon, Van and Zonguldak, the ministry said in a statement.

A circular on the issue was sent to the governorships, it added.

Bakeries, hospitals, pharmacies and workplaces producing health products and medical supplies would continue to operate, the circular said.

The curfew would not be applicable for people who will be carrying out burial procedures for their first-degree-relatives and those who have an appointment for blood and plasma donation for the Turkish Red Crescent, it added.

Also, Turkey's Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu called on people to remain calm and urged against panic buying, saying the curfew will end on Sunday midnight.

"This is not a normal curfew," Soylu said, adding it is one of the measures taken to stem the spread of the virus.

The ban came amid concerns that with fine weather predicted over the weekend, many would ignore government advice to stay at home.

Turkey has so far avoided a total lockdown but has ordered anyone above the age of 65 or below the age of 20 to remain home. Although schools and businesses such as cafes and hair dressers were shut down, many businesses and offices remain open and workers continue to go to work.

On Friday, Turkey confirmed 98 more deaths from the coronavirus, bringing the death toll to 1,006.

The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases surged to 47,029 where a total of 2,423 have recovered and been discharged from hospitals.

After originating in China last December, COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, has spread to at least 185 countries and regions across the world, with its epicenter shifting to Europe.

The pandemic has killed more than 101,100 people, and infected over 1.67 million, while nearly 372,000 people recovered from the disease, according to figures compiled by the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.