Istanbul residents ignore coronavirus rules on first weekend out

Enlarge Image

People sit outside a cafe, in Ankara, Turkey. Images on social media and news agencies showed crowds picnicking and partying Saturday night without heeding to the rules of social distancing and wearing masks on the first weekend with no lockdown, prompting a reprimand from the health minister who warned that the novel coronavirus continued to pose a threat.
AP

ISTANBUL — Istanbul residents flocked to the city’s shores and parks on the first weekend with no coronavirus lockdown, prompting a reprimand from the country’s health minister who warned that the COVID-19 pandemic still poses a threat.

Images on social media and in the news media Sunday showed crowds packed along Istanbul’s Bosporus sunbathing and swimming. Videos also showed large groups of people picnicking and partying Saturday night without heeding social distancing or wearing masks.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted “let’s not normalize too much” and urged people to wear masks and keep their distance.

Restaurants, cafes, gyms, parks, beaches and museums began reopening Monday and domestic flights resumed. Turkey has reported 4,692 deaths from COVID-19 and 170,132 confirmed cases, according to the latest figures released Sunday.

Koca tweeted that contact tracing revealed 58 new infections were caused by a send-off gathering for a soldier and a separate visit by well-wishers to someone who was sick led to 150 additional cases.

A decision by the Interior Ministry to continue a weekend curfew in 15 provinces, including Istanbul, was overturned Friday by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with a series of tweets.

He said he was reversing the decision on grounds that it would “lead to different social and economic consequences.”

Turkey opted for short weekend and holiday curfews during the pandemic instead of a total lockdown, fearing the negative effects on its already troubled economy.

People 65 and older and minors still are barred from leaving their homes except for allotted times during the week. Senior citizens were allowed out Sunday.

The health minister said earlier this week that 93 percent of the dead are above 65.