Turkish Airlines limits domestic flights

ANKARA

Turkey's national flag carrier airline on Saturday announced that it would limit domestic flights amid the novel coronavirus outbreak.

"Domestic flights from Istanbul [Airport] and Ankara [Esenboga Airport] have been limited to some metropolitan cities as of Saturday 11.59 p.m. [2059GMT]," Turkish Airlines CEO Bilal Eksi said on Twitter.

Eksi added that cargo flights would continue.

On Friday, Turkey suspended all international flights as part of its measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.

As for domestic transportation, travel between cities is subject to local authorities' permission.

The death toll in Turkey from the novel coronavirus stands at 92.

After first appearing in Wuhan, China in December, the virus, officially known as COVID-19, has spread to at least 177 countries and regions, according to data compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

More than 598,000 cases have been reported worldwide, with the death toll exceeding 27,700 and more than 131,700 recoveries.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar