Public worried about coronavirus in Turkey, survey says

The public in Turkey are increasingly concerned about the coronavirus, Hurriyet Daily News reported a survey finding.

The survey conducted by IPSOS research company says that in August, some 53 per cent of participants thought the outbreak is a threat to them and their families, rising from 37 per cent at the beginning of June. Some 63 per cent of respondents do not think that classroom education will start on 21 September as officials announced.

“Three in four people are concerned. The rise in the numbers of the coronavirus cases and the social mood points suggest that we are going through the second wave of the outbreak,” the officials, heading the survey, told the Milliyet.

Turkey rolled out new inspection and enforcement rules on 12 August after daily new coronavirus cases jumped above 1,000 for the first time in three weeks, in what the government called a grave rise during peak holiday season.

Top doctors have warned about insufficient testing and urged for a tougher message from Ankara, which lifted a partial lockdown in June and has since lobbied hard for countries to allow tourists to visit to help get the economy back on its feet.

Turkey’s rate of infection per 100,000 is thought to be around 10.9, as reported today by Paul Charles, CEO of travel consultancy the PC Agency.

Sunday update: #Greece very much still in the Green zone so should be okay for #UK tourists wanting to be back by 1st September and avoid #quarantine. #Croatia case numbers still worsening. #Switzerland almost in the Red zone. #coronavirus @ThePCAgency pic.twitter.com/YTStvTrePl

— Paul Charles (@PPaulCharles) August 23, 2020

The coronavirus has killed nearly 5,900 people in Turkey with more than 240,000 cases recorded.

Turkey: Coronavirus cases at highest level since June