Turkey extends weekend lockdown as cases rise

Turkey has extended an upcoming weekend lockdown to include the April 23 national holiday to curb the spread of the coronavirus as the daily infections and deaths from Covid-19 have been at record levels.

The nationwide lockdown came in effect as of 7 p.m. on April 22 and will be in place until 5 a.m. on April 26, the country’s Interior Ministry said in a circular.

No large gatherings will be held to mark the National Sovereignty and Children’s Day holiday, except for an official wreath-laying ceremony.

Instead, some celebrations and events will be held online.

During the extended weekend lockdown, essential businesses such as grocery stores, bakeries, butchers and greengrocers will operate between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Amid the resurgence of cases, the government last week introduced a raft of measures for two weeks during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, including extended weeknight curfews and nationwide weekend lockdown.

Coronavirus has infected nearly 4.5 million and killed some 37,000 people in Turkey, data from the Health Ministry show.