Twenty-five people were hospitalized in Istanbul, Turkey, after they all ate at a restaurant late on Friday nightthe local authorities and the media said. TASR informs according to the report of the DPA agency.
- Twenty-five guests in Istanbul were hospitalized after eating at a restaurant.
- The unlicensed restaurant was closed after customers reported feeling sick.
- Four German vacationers died allegedly as a result of exposure to pesticides.
- Fourteen high school students in Kocaeli province poisoned by food from the school lunch.
- The case sparked increased scrutiny of food safety and inspections in Istanbul.
Hospitalized persons “are in good general health and are undergoing the necessary medical examinations and treatment,” wrote the director of the Istanbul Provincial Health Department Abdullah Emre Güner on the X platform on Friday evening.
Twenty-five people reportedly ordered lahmacun – a traditional flatbread with minced meat, vegetables and spices – at the same restaurant in the Izmir district. According to CNN Türk, customers of the establishment subsequently reported symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. Local authorities subsequently sealed the restaurant, which was operating without a license, the television added.
In the past few days, a family of four from Germany, who were vacationing there, also died in Istanbul. Initially thought to be food poisoning, the deaths are now believed to be related to chemical exposure – possibly pesticide fumes leaking into their hotel room. The final autopsy report is still pending.
In a separate incident, 14 high school students were taken to hospital on Friday with suspected food poisoning after they ate chicken from the school canteen, local media, including Habertürk, reported on Saturday.
Students in the neighboring province of Kocaeli reported nausea and vomiting shortly after lunch and were taken to several local hospitals. All are in good condition, authorities said. The latest incidents have intensified food safety control and inspections in Istanbul, which is a popular international tourist destination, adds DPA.
