Turkey closes bars and clubs until further notice to prevent coronavirus

Turkey's Interior Ministry has ordered the closure of bars and clubs across the country to slow the rate of coronavirus infections, which have increased to 18 cases on Monday.

"The short distance between citizens in discotheques, bars and nightclubs increases the risk of transmission of this disease. (Its opening) is temporarily suspended from Monday March 16," Interior said in a statement sent to the media.

Shortly after announcing the measure, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca reported that the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus infection has increased from 6 to 18 across the country.

According to the headline, among those newly affected are people who recently returned from the United States and countries of the European Union.

Among the measures to contain the pandemic, the Turkish government has suspended classes at colleges and universities for two weeks.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has also canceled all his trips abroad and Turkey has suspended air connections with new European countries, including Spain, Germany and France.