87 soldiers hospitalized at barracks after suffering from vomiting, nausea in Turkey’s Marmaris

MUĞLA

A total of 87 soldiers at a military barracks in the southwestern resort district of Marmaris were hospitalized in the Aegean province of Muğla over a period of three days after suffering from nausea and vomiting, Doğan News Agency reported on June 29. 

Some 84 of the soldiers were discharged from the hospital following treatment, while three soldiers’ treatment is ongoing. None are reported to be in a life-threatening condition. 

Initially seven soldiers at the Aksaz Naval Base Command applied to the Marmaris State Hospital’s additional service building located inside the base on June 27 with complaints of vomiting, nausea, dizziness, and headaches. On June 28 and 29, some 80 more soldiers applied to the hospital with similar complaints. 

In order to determine why the soldiers fell ill, officials have taken samples from water and food at the barracks, as well as blood samples from the soldiers. The food is reported to have been prepared and cooked by the soldiers on the base. 

The incident comes after a series of similar cases of apparent food poisoning at barracks across Turkey.

Some 731 soldiers in the First Infantry Training Brigade Command in the Aegean province of Manisa were hospitalized late on June 17 following suspected food poisoning. The catering firm’s contract with the barracks was subsequently cancelled, while a number of employees of the company were arrested. 

The brigade commander at the barracks was also dismissed from his post on June 23. Colonel Şefik Güvenç was assigned to the Turkish Land Forces Training and Doctrine Command School (EDOK) in the capital Ankara.