Turkey’s coronavirus death toll rises by 31 to 4,171, with new 1,158 cases

Turkey’s death toll from the coronavirus rose by 31 to total 4,171 and new confirmed cases rose by 1,158 to bring the country’s total to 150,593, Health Ministry data showed on May 18.

Monday May 18 2020 08:06 pm

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Turkey’s death toll from the coronavirus rose by 31 to total 4,171 and new confirmed cases rose by 1,158 to bring the country’s total to 150,593, Health Ministry data showed on May 18.

Turkey has conducted more than 1.6 million tests since the outbreak began.

"The number of our patients needing intensive care and ventilatory support is continuing to decrease. The number of cases stands at a predictable level," Health Minister Fahrettin Koca wrote on Twitter.

Yoğun bakıma ve solunum desteğine ihtiyaç duyan hastalarımızın sayısı azalmaya devam ediyor. Vaka sayısı öngörülebilir düzeyde seyrediyor. Koronavirüsün yayılmasına karşı verdiğimiz mücadelede evde kaldığımız günlerin rolü çok büyük. Yarın evde kalalım. https://t.co/RVlhe7786O pic.twitter.com/miIv9n6RP1
— Dr. Fahrettin Koca (@drfahrettinkoca) May 18, 2020

The Health Ministry data were revealed shortly after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that a four-day lockdown starting on May 23 would be imposed nationwide during the Eid al-Fitr religious holiday.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting, Erdoğan also said schools would not re-open this academic year and education would continue in person in September with the new academic year.