Health in Saudi Arabia

Residents of Turkey's largest city taking mass transit now must wear face masks to help stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, authorities said on April 3. 

"Passengers without a face mask will not be admitted on buses, metro, metrobus, or city line ferries as of tomorrow," Murat Ongun, a spokesperson for the Istanbul Municipality, said on Twitter.

Turkey has collected 552.5 million Turkish liras ($82.4 million) so far as part of a National Solidarity Campaign to aid the fight against the novel coronavirus, according to its official website.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan launched a National Solidarity Campaign on March 30 to aid the fight against the novel coronavirus, donating seven months of his salary to the initiative.

Three more persons infected with the novel coronavirus died, with the death toll in Romania reaching 85, the Strategic Communication Group (GCS) informed on Wednesday. AGERPRES (RO - author: Roberto Stan; editor - Claudia Stanescu; EN - author: Cristina Zaharia, editor: Adina Panaitescu)

Turkey has endorsed a rational approach against the novel coronavirus pandemic, being mindful of making sure the measures introduced do not harm the economy unnecessarily, according to Pavel Ursu, the World Health Organization (WHO) Turkey country representative.

Turkey and Japan's envoy to Ankara discussed efforts to fight the novel coronavirus outbreak, the country's health minister said on March 24.

Also discussed were works that can be developed "with the common benefit principle of humanity," said Fahrettin Koca about his talk with Akio Miyajima.

Turkey has banned people above 65 and those with chronic health problems from leaving their homes as part of Ankara's efforts to combat the novel coronavirus.

The interior ministry said in an order Saturday the high-risk groups would be under curfew and would not be allowed to leave their residences, go to public spaces or use public transportation starting midnight.

A number of 367 persons have tested positive for the novel coronavirus so far, the Strategic Communication Group (GCS) informed on Saturday. Of them, 52 were declared cured and discharged, 36 in Timisoara, 11 in Bucharest, 3 in Craiova, one in Iasi and one in Constanta. Since the latest information broadcast, 59 new cases of COVID-19 infection have been recorded.

A number of 308 persons have tested positive for the novel coronavirus so far, the Strategic Communication Group (GCS) informed on Friday. Of them, 31 were declared cured and discharged, 22 in Timisoara, 8 in Bucharest, one in Iasi. Since the latest information broadcast, 31 new cases of COVID-19 infection have been recorded.  The newly confirmed patients are aged between 17 and 89.

One more person died in Greece on Friday from complications related to the novel coronavirus bringing the total number to seven, state-run news agency ANA-MPA reported.

The victim is an 85-year-old man with serious underlying health problems who was being treated at the Mamatsio Hospital in Kozani, northern Greece, the report said.

People across Turkey gave a huge round of applause, accompanied by cheers and congratulations, from their balconies and windows to show their gratitude to healthcare workers on the frontline battling COVID-19.