Turkey recorded 32,102 new coronavirus cases and 235 deaths over the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry announced on Tuesday.

According to ministry data, the total number of COVID-19 cases since the outbreak has increased to 1,898,447 with Tuesday’s figures, while the total death toll due to the virus rose to 16,881 in the country.

The data showed that more than 200,000 COVID-19 tests were carried out in the past day.

Meanwhile, the total number of recoveries increased to 441,515, with an additional 5,245 patients testing negative for COVID-19 the previous day.

“We had 5,105 new (hospitalized) patients today. The number of critical patients has flatlined. We need to reduce our losses. Protect our loved ones by staying out of indoor spaces and crowded areas,” said Health Minister Fahrettin Koca on Twitter, shortly after the announcement of daily figures.

In order to curb the rapid rise in infection levels, the government reintroduced a slew of restrictions last month, including the closure of schools, weekday curfews and weekend curfews.

On Tuesday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced a special four-day curfew that will be implemented from 9 a.m. on Dec. 31 to 5 a.m. on Jan. 4 over the upcoming New Year's weekend as part of measures against the coronavirus.