Rise in severe virus cases slows, but not enough, says Turkish health minister

ANKARA

The increase in the number of COVID-19 patients in critical condition in Turkey slowed but this is not enough, the country’s health minister has said. 

Turkey reported that the number of severely ill virus patients increased to 1,456 over the past 24 hours as of Sept. 20 from 1,432 in the previous day. 

The rise in the number of patients in critical condition eased to 1.7 percent on a daily basis on Sept. 20 from 2.1 percent on Sept. 19, data from the Health Ministry showed.

“Even though the rate of increase in patients in critical condition slowed, there is no relief until this figure [number of severe cases] drops,” Health Minister Fahrettin Koca wrote on Twitter. 

Some 63 percent of the population think Turkey is experiencing the second peak in the first wave of the outbreak while 23 percent disagree, a survey by Ipsos found.

Around 86 percent of the polled said they supported the government's decision to impose restrictions on social events, such as wedding and engagement ceremonies as well as henna nights. Only 8 percent said it was the wrong decision to take such measures. 

The survey also found that an overwhelming majority of the public (some 87 percent) backed the curbs in public transport, including a ban on standing passengers and lowering the seat capacity in public transport vehicles.