Society

China reports drop in food poisoning cases

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-02-13 07:39

BEIJING - China reported 32 food poisoning cases between October and December, down 30.4 percent year on year, according to the Ministry of Health.

In the fourth quarter, food poisoning cases involved 1,313 people, of whom 18 died, the ministry said in a report posted on its website on Friday.

About 37.5 percent of such cases happened at home, the report said. There were also seven cases of food poisoning in schools nationwide, which involved 353 people with no deaths.

Bacteria-induced food poisoning was the main cause of most of the cases. Five people died due to rat poison.

The ministry urged health departments at all levels to check for potential food safety issues and ensure timely and effective treatments for sick people.