Long queues could be seen outside shops last night as the government announced a 48-hour curfew on 31 cities.

The government said shops such as bakeries, pharmacies and designated gas stations as well as package and postal delivery companies, emergency call centers and animal shelters, are among the businesses, that will remain operational.

People working at "newspapers, radio stations and television networks" are also exempt from this curfew under Article 3/h of the Interior Ministry’s circular.

İstanbul is the largest and the most affected city from the coronavirus pandemic. Prior to declaration of curfew, entrance and exit to these cities were forbidden.

The lockdown will involve 31 cities: Zonguldak plus the 30 metropolitan cities of Adana, Ankara, Antalya, Aydın, Balıkesir, Bursa, Denizli, Diyarbakır, Erzurum, Eskişehir, Gaziantep, Hatay, İstanbul, İzmir, Kahramanmaraş, Kayseri, Kocaeli, Konya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mersin, Muğla, Ordu, Sakarya, Samsun, Şanlıurfa, Tekirdağ, Trabzon and Van.