Turkey to clamp down on New Year's parties amid virus curfew

 A four-day lockdown is set to begin in Turkey at 9 p.m. Thursday — New Year’s Eve — in a bid to stem spre of COVID-19, and measures against New Year’s garings are to be enforced.

Turkey’s president has warned parties will t be allowed and law enforcement w illmonitor for any violations. interior ministry said garing would be banned “t as a preference but as a necessity” for public health.

Istanbul’s goverr said Thursday some 34,000 law enforcement personnel would be on duty to enforce rules in Turkey’s most populous city.

interior ministry anunced more than 208,000 officers would be working across country and have set up thousands of control points.

Tourists, who have so far been exempt from lockdowns, will also t be allowed to go to symbolic squares and avenues.

Turkey has among worst infection rates in world but official statistics show seven-day aver of daily infections has dropped to around 16,000 from above 30,000 since evening curfews and weekend lockdowns were instituted in early December.

total death toll to date is 20,642, according to health ministry statistics.

(IM CREDITS:PTI)