Turkey orders barbers, hairdressers to close

Turkey has ordered barbershops, hairdressers and beauty salons to shut down starting from Saturday evening.

The measure is among the latest efforts Ankara is implementing to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.

Turkey is also suspending flights to 46 more countries, the Transport Ministry announced Saturday, bringing the number of banned flights to 68 countries as Ankara steps up efforts.

The Interior Ministry also banned picnics and barbecues, expanding measures that saw the closure of cafes, bars, schools and communal prayers.

Meanwhile, Turkey is also preparing to roll out rapid testing kits across the country.

The Health Ministry says the diagnostic tool returns results in 15 minutes and determines whether or not an individual tests positive for the virus.

Turkey has reported at least 670 people have tested positive for COVID-19 and nine people have died.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus.

According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.