Authorities in the northern Turkish province of Tokat closed schools in the city centre on Monday, October 12, after nearly 3,000 people sought medical treatment amid concerns over the safety of the drinking water supply.
The Tokat Governor's Office ordered a one-day closure of all public and private formal and non-formal education institutions, as well as rehabilitation centres, to allow for what it described as thorough disinfection.
Symptoms began among children
Residents began reporting nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea on the evening of October 9, with children initially making up most of the cases. By 8 a.m. on October 11, a total of 2,914 people had applied to health facilities.
Eighteen children were admitted to hospital. Six of them had been discharged, and the others were reported to be in good condition.
Water samples sent to Ankara
Officials collected drinking water samples from across the city and sent them to the Ankara Public Health Reference Laboratory, with results expected within three days.
Tokat Municipality said on October 11 that sewage had not entered the drinking water network, citing a technical assessment by its Water and Sewerage Directorate. The cause of the illnesses had not been officially determined at the time of reporting.
Until the test results are available, the governor's office advised residents to use bottled water for drinking and cooking. Tap water may still be used for other daily needs, but should not be swallowed, the office said, adding that it would continue to share updates.
Outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness linked to municipal water supplies occur periodically in Türkiye, often after heavy rain or damage to infrastructure allows contamination, and typically trigger investigations by provincial health directorates and prosecutors.
Sources
Photo: Lubunya / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
