'Day we've been waiting for so long': Turkiye's daily COVID-19 cases fall below 1,000

By Jeyhun Aliyev

ANKARA (AA) - New coronavirus infections in Turkiye fell below 1,000-mark on Sunday, with the health minister promising further easing of face mask rules if the numbers remain low for three consecutive days.

The Health Ministry confirmed 905 new COVID-19 infections, five related deaths and 1,019 recoveries in the last 24 hours. As many as 118,852 tests were conducted.

"The day we've been waiting for so long has come. The number of cases fell below 1,000. The number of deaths is 5. When the number of cases is below a thousand for three consecutive days, the use of masks will be optional, not mandatory, in public transportation!" Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Twitter.

To stem the spread of the virus, Turkiye has administered more than 147.67 million vaccine doses since it launched an immunization drive in January 2021.

More than 57.83 million people have received their first jabs, while over 53.05 million are fully vaccinated.

Turkiye lifted its longtime indoor mask mandate last month, except for public transportation and in hospitals.

More than 525.4 million COVID-19 cases and over 6.27 million deaths have been reported in at least 192 countries and regions since December 2019, according to the US-based Johns Hopkins University.