Around 5,000 hospitalized for ‘drinking water poisoning’ in Turkish Mediterranean town

Locals suffering from fever, nausea and vertigo flooded hospitals in the district late on Aug. 27. Many of them were later discharged after receiving initial treatment.

Local authorities established a crisis desk and also provided additional health personnel and drug supplies to hospitals across the district. 

There were no immediate reports of casualties or patients in critical condition.

Authorities meanwhile urged locals to boil their water before drinking it. The municipality also delivered bottled water to locals after the incident.

In addition, Kahramanmaraş Mayor Fatih Mehmet Erkoç announced that works to determine the cause of the problem were ongoing. However, authorities elaborated on possible drinking water poisoning caused by the district’s water supply network.

Erkoç said necessary inspections in the district’s water supply were being carried out.

The Kahramanmaraş prosecutor’s office also opened an investigation into the incident to determine possible negligence or sabotage in the district’s water supply network.