The unexplained deaths of 13 newborn babies in Turkey has sparked national outrage.

The babies, all premature, died within 24 hours of each other over the weekend at Tepecik hospital in Izmir. The Turkish media is blaming an infection linked to an intravenous drip.

One health worker said: “I gave a statement to the murder squad, and we are now waiting for the lawyer’s report and the autopsy. I believe there was negligence.”

It is the second case in weeks of unexplained baby deaths, causing worries about the standards of care in neo-natal units in Turkey. In August, 42 babies died at a hospital in the capital, Ankara.

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