Mass health crisis in Tokat, Turkey, linked to water safety concerns

A public health emergency has emerged in Tokat, Turkey, as thousands of residents have sought medical treatment for nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea since the evening of Friday, October 9, 2026. While one report indicates nearly 3,000 cases as of Sunday morning, the governor of Tokat, Abdullah Koklu, later confirmed that the number of affected individuals has reached approximately 5,000. Most patients have been treated and released, with about 30 people remaining hospitalized as of the latest update; no lives are reported to be in danger.

Local authorities have dispatched water samples from across the city to a public health laboratory in Ankara to determine the cause of the outbreak. Pending laboratory results, which are expected by Tuesday or Wednesday, residents have been advised not to use tap water for drinking or cooking and to follow strict hygiene protocols. While the Tokat Municipality denies any technical failure or sewage contamination of the water grid, the local government has suspended school operations for Monday, October 12, to allow for facility disinfection.