The Covid-19 related death toll in Turkey surged to 309 in the last 24 hours, the highest daily level in more than nine months, health ministry data showed, with new cases over that period at 94,730.

In late December, daily cases stood at about 20,000 but have since surged due to the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Daily infections peaked at 111,157 earlier this month, according to Reuters.

The death toll reported on Tuesday was the highest since 356 on May 5. Health Minister Fahrettin Koca urged elderly citizens and those with chronic illnesses to exercise more caution after the data.