Turkish Health Ministry 'plans for gradual normalization towards the end of May'

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The Turkish Health Ministry is reportedly planning for a gradual normalization after Eid al-Fitr, which ends on May 26, as the country continues its struggle against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca on April 17 said that the ministry expects the number of cases to decrease in seven weeks, prompting officials to plan for the steps towards gradual normalization.

According to Koca, a peak will be reached in 10 days, which will be followed by a plateau for two weeks if no major fluctuations take place. The three weeks after that will start to see a decrease in the number of cases, he said.

The ministry plans to take steps towards normalization after the said seven weeks and different measures will be implemented in different provinces starting from the beginning of June, daily Hürriyet reported on April 19.

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The ministry also pointed to the significance of the data that will be obtained in the next two weeks and said that the plans may be adjusted in accordance.

According to the daily, the Health Ministry's Science Commission expects the peak point to occur at a different time in different provinces.

Istanbul, which has the highest number of cases, is close to the point of plateau, but the capital Ankara and the western province of İzmir are away from that point, they said.

The commission also pointed to the fact that controlled life in Ankara is going more successful than Istanbul and İzmir.