Turkey registers decrease in deaths, new COVID-19 infections

In this Wednesday, April 22, 2020 photo, healthcare workers tend to a patient at one of the intensive care units for COVID-19 patients (ICU) of the Akdeniz University hospital in Antalya, Turkey. The country currently ranks seventh in the world in the number of confirmed infections, surpassing Iran and China. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government has refrained from imposing a total lockdown, fearing its negative impact on the already fragile economy. It has opted for piecemeal measures instead, including weekend curfews and banning people above the age of 65 and below the age of 20 from leaving their homes. (Ibrahim Laleli/DHA via AP) (Ibrahim Laleli)

ISTANBUL – Turkey’s health ministry has announced 99 new deaths from COVID-19, the lowest in nearly two weeks. The total death toll has risen to 2,805.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca shared daily figures Sunday, showing 2,357 new confirmed cases, bringing the number of confirmed infections to 110,130.

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“Today is the day with the lowest number of new cases in the past 20 days,” he tweeted.

The number of administered tests was also down to about 30,000 Saturday, which the minister attributed to a decreased need because of lower contact opportunities.

According to the data, 3,558 people were released from hospitals in the past 24 hours, making the number of recovered patients 29,140. Koca said the downward trend continued in patients needing intensive care.

Turkey ranks seventh in the world for the number of confirmed infections, according to Johns Hopkins University, but experts believe the actual toll of the pandemic is higher than the tally.

Nearly 890,000 people have been tested in Turkey so far.

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