Turkey has administered over 100.3 million coronavirus vaccine shots since the country launched an immunization campaign in January, according to official figures released on Thursday.
Over 50.9 million people have taken their first doses, while more than 39.6 million are fully vaccinated, the Turkish Health Ministry said.
The data showed that 81.6% of the country's adult population has received at least one dose of a two-shot vaccine. Turkey has also given third booster shots to over 9.2 million people.
The ministry also reported 23,846 new coronavirus cases, while as many as 257 more people died of the disease in the past 24 hours.
Reaching the milestone of 100 million vaccine doses is a “great success” for Turkey, the country’s health minister Fahrettin Koca said at a news conference in Ankara.
He said the vaccination campaign’s progress has taken Turkey closer to achieving herd immunity, Anadolu Agency reported.
“Currently, nearly 90% of active cases are people who are either partially vaccinated or not vaccinated at all,” Koca said.
The number of daily infections in the country would have been at least four to five times higher if the vaccination drive had been slower, the minister added.
On Turkey’s domestic vaccine candidate, Koca said the TURKOVAC jab is at a stage where authorities are preparing to apply for emergency use approval.
“If approved, we will start mass production in October,” he said, adding that two facilities are now ready for manufacturing.
