ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey announced a new, two-day weekend curfew in 15 of the country’s provinces most affected by the coronavirus outbreak, even as it lifted a raft of restrictions earlier in the week.

The Interior Minister said the new stay-at-home order comes into effect at midnight on Friday and will end at midnight on Sunday in the 15 provinces that include Istanbul and Ankara. Grocery stores will remain open to allow residents to walk to shops for essential needs, the ministry said.

Last weekend’s curfew was expected to be the last and Friday’s announcement came as a surprise to many.

It followed reports of widespread complacency and breach of social distancing practices this week, after restaurants began welcoming sit-in customers and beaches, swimming pools, parks, gyms and museums reopened.

Fearing possible negative effects on the already troubled economy, Turkey has been imposing short weekend and holiday curfews, instead of total lockdowns. It has also banned people above the age of 65 and minors from leaving homes apart from certain days of the week.

Turkey has reported more than 167,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and 4,630 deaths.