Turkey starts new phase in battle against coronavirus, minister says

Turkey has entered a new phase in the battle against coronavirus in which it aims to eliminate the disease and reopen businesses, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Wednesday. New social behavior guidelines will be set to prevent any resurgence of the outbreak.

The government will publish guidance for businesses to ensure the coronavirus remains contained when they open next week, Reuters quoted Koca as saying. It will also increase testing capacity and continue contact tracing efforts. Turks should wear masks and be mindful of social distance in public, Koca added.

All main Turkish automotive factories will resume operations as of May 11, Industry Minister Mustafa Varank said on Tuesday, a day after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced a normalization period to restart the economy following the coronavirus outbreak.