Turkey shuts bars, nightclubs over coronavirus concerns

ANKARA

Turkey will temporarily close bars and nightclubs as of Monday as part of measures to curb the coronavirus outbreak.

The Interior Ministry on Sunday ordered the closure across all 81 provinces starting 10 a.m. local time (0700GMT).

Turkey has so far confirmed six cases of coronavirus.

After emerging in Wuhan, China last December, the virus officially known as COVID-19, has spread to at least 141 countries and territories.

The global death toll from the virus has surpassed 5,700 with more than 152,000 cases confirmed worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, which has declared the outbreak a pandemic and Europe its epicenter.