Turkey's daily COVID-19 death toll drops to 48
People wearing masks walking at İstiklal Avenue, in Istanbul, Turkey, May 8, 2020. (AA Photo)


Turkey's daily coronavirus death toll dropped to 48 on Friday as the total number of fatalities hit 3,689, Health Ministry announced.

Tweeting the latest update on the pandemic, the ministry said that the confirmed daily cases hit 1,848, taking the number of total cases to 135,569. The total number of recovered patients increased to 3,412 taking the total count to 86,396.

The number of tests for coronavirus reached 1,298,806.

The latest figures show that there are 1,219 infected patients in intensive care while 653 patients remain intubated.

In the last 24 hours, 33,687 additional tests were conducted.

Turkey has seen a decline in the number of fatalities, allowing authorities to ease restrictions. A weekend curfew remains in place while citizens at the age of 65 and above, children and teens, who were already subject to an ongoing curfew since April, will be allowed to go out for the first time over the weekend next week.

Barbershops, hairdressers and shopping malls will also be allowed to open as of Monday but with specific measures against the novel coronavirus.

"There is a decline in the number of new cases, deaths, patients in intensive care, intubated patients in the last 24 hours again. The data shows we have the upper hand in our fight against the virus. Still, this is not the end result but rather, a significant opportunity (to advance our fight). Let’s use this opportunity," Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted after figures were announced.