ANKARA, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Turkish prosecutors have launched an investigation after 13 newborn babies died within 24 hours in a state hospital in the western city of Izmir, state news agency, Anatolian, said on Monday.

It was the second case in two months of a large number of babies dying after birth that has raised concerns over standards of newborn units in the European Union candidate country.

Media reports said the babies, all born prematurely, died over the weekend, possibly from an infection, at Tepecik hospital in Izmir, Turkey's third-largest city.

"The number of babies that have died has increased to 13. We are looking into the deaths," Anatolian quoted Mehmet Ozkan, the head of the local health directorate as saying.

The hospital is under quarantine. No more babies are being admitted into the centre, Anatolian said.

In August, more than two dozen babies died in a hospital in Ankara. (Editing by Mariam Karouny)

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