Erdogan “shut down” Turkey

This will include constant closures, school closures, and long - distance travel restrictions to curb the sharp growth of coronary cases and deaths.

After the cabinet meeting, Erdogan said all inter-city travel would require the authorities' approval and that all schools would stop direct classes, Reuters reports.

According to him, the production and food sector will be exempted from new restrictions. The daily number of cases must drop below 5,000 by the end of the holy month of Ramadan, the Turkish president added.

The number of daily cases in Turkey reached more than 63,000 on 16 April, before falling significantly below 39,000 on Sunday, while the daily death toll remained more than 300 during last week.