⁍ Turkey will evaluate possible new measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus as the outbreak flares nationwide.

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⁍ Turkey reported another 2,102 people with COVID-19 symptoms on Thursday, the highest figure since May when Ankara imposed a series of restrictive measures.

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⁍ The death toll from the virus rose to 9,584 on Thursday, Health Ministry data showed.

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– The death toll from a new strain of coronavirus has hit 9,584 in Turkey, with 2,102 cases across the country yesterday, the Health Ministry says. That’s the highest number reported since the virus was first detected in May, Reuters reports. Some 40% of the cases have occurred in Istanbul, the country’s biggest city, with five times more cases than in the capital, Ankara. Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said yesterday that people should avoid crowded places, the New York Times reports. The country lifted restrictions on the virus in June, but has since enforced measures such as social distancing and wearing masks. President Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday that Turkey would consider new measures, Reuters reports. “Our health minister is visiting various provinces … We are working on what sort of measures we will take there,” he said. “As of now, what sort of measures are to be taken will be conveyed to us from the science team and we will take our steps according to that.” Turkey’s top medical association and the main opposition party have criticized the government’s decision to only publish symptomatic patients, saying it hides the true scale of the outbreak. Late yesterday, Koca said residents in Istanbul should avoid crowded places unless necessary.