Baby deaths in Turkish hospital

Turkish authorities are investigating the deaths of 13 newborn babies over a 24-hour period at a hospital in the western city of Izmir.

Mehmet Ozkan, head of the local health directorate, confirmed the deaths and said officials were "looking into" the situation at the hospital.

The babies were all reported to have been born prematurely.

In addition, Turkish newspapers have suggested that a hospital infection may have been a factor in their deaths.

Speaking to a Turkish newspaper, the chief doctor at Tepecik hospital said he suspected an infection could have been the cause.

"Under normal conditions, we lose five or six babies in three days and less than 20 in a month," Professor Gazi Yigitbasi said, in remarks quoted by the AFP news agency.

A TV news channel said a team of doctors from various universities in Izmir would inspect the hospital and take samples from the unit where the babies died, AFP reported.

More details could be made available later on Monday, officials said.

During July this year, 27 newborn babies died over 15 days at a state hospital in Turkey's capital, Ankara.

The Ankara hospital said the deaths were caused by hypertension, heart failure and complications at birth.

But trade unions blamed an infection linked to poor sanitary conditions.