Istanbul's Grand Bazaar temporarily closed amid coronavirus precautions

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Istanbul's famous Grand Bazaar ("Kapalı Çarşı" in Turkish), one of the world’s oldest covered markets, has been temporarily closed amid coronavirus precautions.

The head of the bazaar's administration, Fatih Kurtulmuş, had previously told state-run Anadolu Agency that the number of visitors had plummeted considerably due to the virus.

As of March 22, Turkey's death toll from coronavirus stands at 30, while the number of cases exceeds 1,200.

The country confirmed its first case of the coronavirus early on March 11.

Since then, the government has taken a series of precautions against the spread of the virus, including shutting down schools, universities, bars, nightclubs, cinemas, cafes, spas, amusement parks and swimming pools.