138,000 people have been put in quarantine in Turkey as a measure to contain the spread of coronavirus pandemic, said the country’s Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu in a statement on Thursday.

“We are quarantining 180 areas in a total of 52 provinces. Quarantine decision is taken with the decision of the provincial Public Hygiene Boards,” Soylu noted.

“Currently, 122,500 citizens in 180 separate settlements are in quarantine. When you add 15 thousand 500 citizens coming from abroad and currently staying in student dormitories, we currently have 138 thousand citizens in quarantine,” he added.

26,000 people who violated the lockdown orders were fined across the country.

Turkey has so far reported 908 deaths from coronavirus pandemic, with 42,282 confirmed cases.

1,552 patients are being treated at the intensive care units. Of those, 1,017 people are mechanically ventilated patients. (ILKHA)