Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks after a cabinet meeting, in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, Dec. 14, 2020. Erdogan has announced a four-day lockdown starting New Year's eve to curb the spread of COVID-19. Erdogan said the curfew would begin the evening of Dec. 31 and go on until the morning of Jan. 4. (Turkish Presidency via AP, Pool)

Turkey's president has announced a four-day lockdown starting New Year's Eve to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting Monday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the curfew would begin the evening of Dec. 31 and go until the morning of Jan. 4

The government this month re-introduced weekend lockdowns as well as nighttime curfews amid a spike in infections and deaths. It has avoided a full since the beginning of the pandemic to keep the country's beleagured economy running.

Erdogan also announced some rental support for businesses and promised to continue discounts for value added taxes.

Monday's health ministry statistics showed a record of 229 confirmed new daily deaths, bringing the total toll to 16,646. The 7-day average of confirmed infections hovers above 30,000, making Turkey one of the worst-hit nations in the world.

  • A man wearing a mask to help protect against the spread of coronavirus, shows a document as a police officer checks IDs during a two-day weekend curfew, in Ankara, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020. Turkey imposed a two-day curfew from Friday evening to Monday morning as the total number of COVID-19 infections in Turkey tripled to almost 1,750,000 on Thursday after the government retrospectively corrected its count. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)

  • A man wearing a mask to help protect against the spread of coronavirus, walks along a deserted street during a two-day weekend curfew, in Ankara, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020. Turkey imposed a two-day curfew from Friday evening to Monday morning as the total number of COVID-19 infections in Turkey tripled to almost 1,750,000 on Thursday after the government retrospectively corrected its count. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)

  • People wearing masks to help protect against the spread of coronavirus, walk, in Ankara, Turkey, Friday, Dec. 11, 2020. The total number of COVID-19 infections in Turkey tripled to almost 1,750,000 on Thursday after the government retrospectively corrected its count. Yielding to widespread pressure, Turkey earlier this month resumed reporting all positive COVID-19 cases after four months of only releasing the numbers of symptomatic patients. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)

  • A woman wearing a mask to help protect against the spread of coronavirus, walks along a deserted street during a two-day weekend curfew, in Ankara, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020. Turkey imposed a two-day curfew from Friday evening to Monday morning as the total number of COVID-19 infections in Turkey tripled to almost 1,750,000 on Thursday after the government retrospectively corrected its count. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)

  • A person wearing a mask to help protect against the spread of coronavirus, walks along a deserted street during a two-day weekend curfew, in Ankara, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020. Turkey imposed a two-day curfew from Friday evening to Monday morning as the total number of COVID-19 infections in Turkey tripled to almost 1,750,000 on Thursday after the government retrospectively corrected its count. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)

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