Death toll from COVID-19 hits 44 in Turkey

The death toll in Turkey due to COVID-19 rose to 44 after seven patients died on Tuesday, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted.

"In the past 24 hours, a total of 3,952 tests were conducted. We have 343 new diagnosed cases. We lost seven patients," Koca tweeted on Tuesday night.

Six of the deceased were elderly, and one had COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), the minister said.

On Monday, the number of deaths from the novel coronavirus in Turkey was 37, out of 1,529 diagnosed cases.

On March 11, Turkey reported its first case of COVID-19.