Turkey: COVID-19 deaths rise 4-fold over past month

By Dilara Kucukerdogan

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's COVID-19 deaths have risen four-fold over the past month, with the number of patients in critical condition doubling over the period, according to a tally of Health Ministry data.

Anadolu Agency evaluated figures recorded nationwide from March 18 - April 18.

In February, when coronavirus restrictions including lockdowns were still in place, 129 fatalities were recorded on the first day of the month, with deaths dropping to 66 on the last day of the month.

As restrictions were relaxed in March, a spike in fatalities was reported. On March 1, 69 people died and this figure rose to 81 on March 18.

On March 21, the fatalities reached three digits with 102 people losing the battle against the virus. The figures kept rising throughout the month with the virus claiming 152 lives on March 31.

The upward trend continued in April as well. The Health Ministry reported 176 fatalities on April 1, with deaths reaching 211 on April 6.

Some 318 people died on April 18 due to the coronavirus, thus raising the month-on-month death toll four times.

- Patients in critical condition

The number of patients in critical condition also saw a month-on-month rise.

It was reported that the number of COVID-19 patients in critical condition was 1,615 on Feb. 1. This figure dropped to 1,232 in mid-February, and further declined to 1,191 on Feb. 28.

At the beginning of March, the number of patients in critical condition saw a surge.

The number of seriously ill patients receiving COVID-19 treatment rose to 1,215 on March 1, 1,425 on March 15, and 1,503 on March 18.

The number of patients in critical condition exceeded the 2,000-band on the last day of the month, hitting 2,054.

In the first week of April, the number of seriously ill patients rose to 2,604.

At the end of the second week of April, the figure reached 3,018.

The trend continued in the last three days as well, with 3,205 patients on April 16, 3,240 on April 17 and 3,275 on April 18.

The figure on April 18 doubled in comparison to the same date of the previous month.

*Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev