More than 200 people have died from COVID-19 in Turkey, which has ramped up tests to more than 15,000 a day, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced Tuesday.
Koca shared the latest figures on Twitter, saying that 46 people had died in the last 24 hours, raising the country's overall toll to 214. With 2,704 more cases of the novel coronavirus, the total has reached 13,531.
"The number of tests is up 25.2% from yesterday," Koca said. Health officials are identifying positive cases faster and with more accuracy, he added.
Turkish officials have repeatedly urged citizens to stay home and respect social distancing rules, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan advising Turks to adopt "voluntary quarantine" conditions.
On Monday, Erdoğan said 41 towns and areas across the country had been placed under quarantine, but Turkey has stopped short of declaring a nationwide lockdown.
Authorities have suspended international flights, shut schools and universities, banned mass prayers and imposed confinement on people over 65 years old.
Erdoğan has launched a public campaign to raise money for people who are struggling because of the pandemic.
He also announced a new 600-bed hospital in Istanbul to treat COVID-19 patients.
