Turkish authorities have been instituting anti-cholera measures in Istanbul in an effort to prevent any outbreaks of the disease from spreading through the country. Vaccination centres and airport controls are among the steps being taken.

Vaccination centres in cities are offering free immunisation, and in Istanbul alone, 500,000 people were inoculated at the end of the first day, Wednesday (19 August). People were ??? up at hospitals for free vaccination at various centres in Istanbul on Friday (21 August).

Turkish health authorities have announced strict health inspection measures for all travellers coming from the Soviet Union, Iran, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt. People unable to provide proof of recent immunisations are being held in guarantine hospitals for five days. In other cases, they are being placed on the next aircraft to leave the country.

People without inoculations wishing to leave Turkey are being vaccinated at the airport before being allowed to travel.

On Friday, passengers arriving at Istanbul's Yesilkoy Airport on a flight from Beirut were among those being checked.

In the villages in border areas adjoining Syria and Iraq, medical teams are going from house to house.

Reports have reached the Turkish capital of Ankara of an outbreak of cholera in the Syrian town of Hama, only 56 miles (90 kms) from the Turkish border, although this has not yet been officially confirmed by the Syrian authorities.