The UK government has issued a warning to Brits travelling abroad to Turkey any time soon after an unexpectedly high number of people have become unwell with food poisoning.

The cases of salmonella in Britain this year have been associated with travel in the southern Mediterranean region of the country, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.

Between 15 January and 19 July, there have been 241 confirmed cases of salmonella, with the majority of them from April onwards following travel to the Antalya region, reports The Mirror.

It comes as 93 of the cases recorded from available detailed and confirmed travel information available, show the unwell tourists were staying in different hotels in Turkey.

Furthermore, most cases report eating a “wide variety of different foods within their hotel resort as part of an all-inclusive holiday package.”

The UKHSA said: "While salmonella infections usually resolve with self-care at home, they can be more serious in young children, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals.

It also added that travellers should only eat the fruit they have peeled themselves.

Bournemouth Echo: These are the symptoms of food poisoning you should be aware ofThese are the symptoms of food poisoning you should be aware of (Image: Getty)

What are the symptoms of food poisoning?

The NHS says symptoms of food poisoning include:

  • feeling sick (nausea)
  • diarrhoea
  • being sick (vomiting)
  • stomach cramps
  • a high temperature of 38C or above
  • feeling generally unwell – such as feeling tired or having aches and chills

The health service explains that symptoms usually start within a few days of eating the food that caused the infection.

However, sometimes they can vary and start after a few hours or not for a few weeks.

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Who is most at risk of food poisoning?

Anyone can get food poisoning, but specific groups of people are more likely to get very sick from food poisoning, explains Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Factors that increase the risk of salmonella include:

  • people aged 65 and older – Their immune systems and organs don’t respond to get rid of harmful germs as well as they used to.
  • children younger than five years old – Their immune systems are still developing so their body's ability to get rid of germs isn’t as strong.
  • those who have a weakened immune system – This includes people who have been diagnosed with diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, HIV and autoimmune disorders such as lupus. It can also affect people receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
  • pregnant women

You can find more information about food poisoning on the NHS website including how to treat food poisoning yourself.

You can also keep up-to-date with the most recent travel advice to Turkey on the UK government website.