Turkey extends closure of schools to end of May – minister

Turkey has extended the closure of schools until the end of May as part of its measures to combat the spread of coronavirus, Education Minister Ziya Selcuk said on Wednesday.

Ankara announced the initial closure of schools on March 12 after it reported its first case of Covid-19. It now has almost 115,000 cases with a death toll of nearly 3,000, Reuters reported.

The government aims to begin reviving the economy in late May after a sharp slowdown due to measures to contain the outbreak, while minimizing the risk of a second wave of infections, a senior official said on Tuesday.

A group of Turkish malls said there were plans for a gradual reopening from May 11 depending on demand from retailers and approval from a health advisory board.