Turkey does not expect second COVID-19 wave: Minister

By Baris Gundogan

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's top health official on Wednesday said the country did not expect a second wave of the novel coronavirus, which has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives around the world.

Under the current circumstances, thanks to the Turkish public's understanding of measures against the virus "we do not expect a second wave, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca told reporters after a meeting of the country's Coronavirus Advisory Board in the capital Ankara.

As of Monday, Turkey began easing measures against COVID-19, with domestic flights and inter-city travel resuming and restaurants opening their doors to customers.

Koca warned, however, that the risk of outbreak continued until the last coronavirus patient was treated.

"We can see the last [coronavirus] case as soon as possible if precautions are followed," he added.

On Wednesday Turkey confirmed 130,852 recoveries from the novel virus while the death toll stood at 4,609.

Since first appearing in China last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 188 countries and regions.

The US, Brazil, Russia and several European countries are currently the hardest hit in the world.

The pandemic has killed almost 383,000 people worldwide, with more than 6.43 million confirmed cases, while recoveries surpassed 2.76 million, according to figures compiled by the US' Johns Hopkins University.