A man sits on a pier with the iconic Galata Tower in the background amid the ongoing pandemic of the COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, in Istanbul, Turkey, 05 May 2020. EPA-EFE/SEDAT SUNA
People wearing face masks attend the mourning ceremony, ahead of Ashura Day, in Istanbul, Turkey, 29 August 2020. Ashura day commemorates the death anniversary of the third Shiite Imam Hussein, who was a grandson of Muslim Prophet Mohammed. Ashura is the peak of ten days of mourning when Shiite Muslims mourn the killing of Imam Hussein whose shrine is in Karbala in southern Iraq. EPA-EFE/SEDAT SUNA
Medical workers wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) attend to a COVID-19 patient at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Istanbul Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital, in Istanbul, Turkey, 21 May 2020 (issued 29 May 2020). The toll from coronavirus-related deaths has risen in Turkey to 4.461 people as of 28 May 2020, with the country reporting 160.979 confirmed cases. In Turkey, thirty-nine healthcare and medical workers have died since the beginning of the outbreak, and more than 10.000 have been infected with the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that causes the COVID-19 disease. At least 90,000 healthcare workers have been infected by COVID-19 and more than 260 nurses have lost their lives to the pandemic, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) said on 06 May 2020. EPA-EFE/SEDAT SUNA
People wearing face masks as they cross Bosphorus on a ferry from Asia side to Europe, amid the ongoing pandemic of the COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in Istanbul, Turkey, 14 June 2020. Turkey re-opens restaurants, cafes, parks, beaches, lifts inter-city travel bans as the country eases coronavirus restrictions measures amid the ongoing pandemic of the COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus on 01 June. EPA-EFE/SEDAT SUNA
A doctor holds a hand of COVID-19 patient inside a sealed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) room at the Prof. Dr. Cemil Tascioglu City Hospital, in Istanbul, Turkey, 07 December 2020 (issued 09 December 2020). According to latest reports, Turkey recorded 33,198 new coronavirus infections on 08 December 2020, the highest daily number in Europe. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic more than 15,000 people have died in Turkey, including 211 health workers, who take care of coronavirus patients, according to Turkey Medical Association. Turkish government in November 2020 has signed a contract to buy 50 million doses of Chinese manufacturer Sinovac coronavirus vaccine ‘CoronaVac’, to be delivered in batches between December 2020 and February 2021. Turkey is also in talks to increase the amount of coronavirus vaccines from Pfizer and BioNTech companies, from initial one million doses. Healthcare workers, people aged 65 and above, disabled people, people who stay in shelters and those living in crowded places will be vaccinated in the first stage, Turkish Health Ministry said. EPA-EFE/SEDAT SUNA
A morgue worker wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) walks next to coffins at the Cekmekoy morgue in Istanbul, Turkey, 16 May 2020 (issued 20 May 2020). The toll from coronavirus-related deaths has risen in Turkey to 4,199 people as of 19 May 2020, with the country reporting 151,615 confirmed cases. Twenty-four healthcare and medical workers have died since the beginning of the outbreak, and more than 7,400 have been infected with the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that causes the COVID-19 disease. President Erdogan announced a curfew in 81 Turkish cities, including Istanbul, from 23 to 26 May 2020 to curb the spread of the ongoing pandemic. The lockdown coincides with the festival of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. EPA-EFE/SEDAT
An Imam (R) recites from the Koran, Islam's holy book, as a relative of Lutfiye Yilmaz, who died from COVID-19-related illness, mourns during her funeral ceremony at the Kilyos Cemetery in Istanbul, Turkey, 18 May 2020 (issued 20 May 2020). The toll from coronavirus-related deaths has risen in Turkey to 4,199 people as of 19 May 2020, with the country reporting 151,615 confirmed cases. Twenty-four healthcare and medical workers have died since the beginning of the outbreak, and more than 7,400 have been infected with the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that causes the COVID-19 disease. President Erdogan announced a curfew in 81 Turkish cities, including Istanbul, from 23 to 26 May 2020 to curb the spread of the ongoing pandemic. The lockdown coincides with the festival of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. EPA-EFE/SEDAT SUNA
Morgue workers wear personal protective equipment (PPE) as they preparing the body of Ali Daskiran, who died from Covid-19, for the funeral ceremony at the Cekmekoy morgue in Istanbul, Turkey, 16 May 2020.Turkish President Erdogan announced a curfew in 81 cities including Istanbul between 23-26 May (Eid al-Fitr) due to the ongoing pandemic of the COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. EPA-EFE/SEDAT SUNA
A man mourns near coffin of his relative who died from Covid-19 at the Kucukcekmece Municipality Morgue in Istanbul, Turkey, 04 December 2020. The Health Ministry has registered 32,381 more coronavirus infections, including 6,511 symptomatic cases, for the past 24 hours. The new symptomatic cases raised the overall patient count to 520,167. The country's death toll rose by 187 to 14,316, according to the ministry, while the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality reported 232 deaths of an 'infectious disease' for the city alone. Turkey ranked first among European countries in the number of patients Covid-19. EPA-EFE/SEDAT SUNA
A couple sitting inside the concrete block with the financial district Levent in the background next to the Bosporus on a rainy day, amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in Istanbul, Turkey, 20 September 2020. Turkish authorities have now allowed the reopening of restaurants, cafes, parks and beaches, as well as lifting the ban on inter-city travel, as the country eases the restrictions it had imposed in a bid to stem the spread of the ongoing pandemic of the COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. EPA-EFE/SEDAT SUNA