Daily cases have surged to record levels in recent weeks with the spread of the Omicron variant, but Koca has said the new variant would reduce the impact of the pandemic because the illness it causes is less severe.
"The rise we see in case numbers should not be seen as disheartening. The virus is not at its old strength. The worrying part of the pandemic is over," Koca said on Twitter.
The day's COVID-19 death total was 174. In late December, daily cases stood at about 20,000, before a surge in infections due to Omicron.
