Turkey will remain under lockdown over Eid al-Fitr holiday

Turkey will remain under a four-day lockdown from May 23 as a part of nationwide efforts to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus during the Eid al-Fitr holiday.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced this directive on Monday as there is a higher chance of spreading the virus if people gather to celebrate the festive occasion, reports Al Arabiya.

The lockdown, which will bar most people from leaving home, is the broadest so far in Turkey, where previous lockdowns have been imposed in 31 or fewer cities.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting, Erdogan also said schools would only reopen fully with the new academic year in September.

The education ministry said distance learning - via the internet or television - would continue until June 19, the last day of the current academic year.

Turkey has started taking steps to ease lockdown measures aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus as the number of daily cases has declined from a peak in April.

Erdogan said mosques would begin allowing mass prayers for midday and afternoon prayers as of May 29. He also said the house arrest period for prisoners who were released as part of coronavirus measures had been extended for two months.

Turkey has conducted more than 1.6 million tests for the coronavirus since the outbreak began.

In Turkey, confirmed cases of COVID-19, rose to 150,593 on Monday, with 1,158 people diagnosed in the last 24 hours, reported Turkish health ministry data s. The death toll stands at 4,171.