COVID-19: Istanbul mass transit riders must wear masks

By Mehmet Kara

ISTANBUL (AA) - 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 Friday.

“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.

A total of 118 municipality staffers have tested positive for coronavirus, Ongun added.

Earlier today, Turkey’s Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said that an analysis found that on average, one person carrying COVID-19 in Istanbul infects 16 others.

Nationwide, the wearing of face masks in crowded areas, including stores, is now mandatory, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Friday.

So far, Turkey has registered over 20,000 coronavirus cases, and the death toll stands at 425. A total of 484 people have fully recovered following treatment.

Since appearing in Wuhan, China, last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 181 countries and regions.

Data compiled by the U.S.’ Johns Hopkins University shows worldwide infections surging past 1 million, with more than 58,000 deaths. Over 225,400 people have recovered.