Turkey will impose a partial coronavirus curfew over the weekend, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced Thursday.
"As high school and university entrance exams are to be held, the President ordered that the weekends be spared for the youth," Koca said.
Later in the day, the Ministry of Interior released the specifics regarding the curfew.
According to a statement by the ministry, the partial coronavirus curfew will come into effect across all Turkey's provinces in line with high school and university entrance exams between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m on June 20, between 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. on June 27, and between 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. on June 28.
The Coronavirus Science Board has advised wearing face masks in public places be made compulsory in Istanbul, Ankara and Bursa, he added. Later on Wednesday, the government announced in a statement that wearing masks in public areas of these cities is now mandatory.
Turkey is seeing an upward trend in the daily number of infections after cafes, restaurants, gyms, parks, beaches and museums were allowed reopen, intercity travel restrictions were lifted and stay-at-home orders for the elderly and young were eased at the beginning of June.
The daily number of infections has climbed to around 1,500 in the past five days after hovering around 800 to 900 the week before.
